Sweet Child O' Mine
by FRubberDuck
Summary: When all is lost, Ginny returns to a time when steering the future to a brighter path is manageable. But fate has it's own will and do not easily bend.   Rated M for future chapters, violence, coarse language and minor suggestive adult themes will occur.
1. Prologue

**DISCLAIMER: The plot is mine. The rest, characters and part of the setting are not.**

Outside the house the sky was a dark shade of grey, it had been raining on and off the last couple of months. If it was because of the dark magic overpowering the world, a mere coincidence or if the sky was grieving with the ones that were left, Ginny didn't know. What she did know though, was that she had not seen the sun since the final battle, just a depressing grey shade that made all the colours around her dull, which should have been vibrant reds and oranges as the autumn fall upon them. She liked to think it was the latter, that the sky was crying for them, for what they had become and for their fate.

She hadn't been allowed outside in weeks, not since George had brought Susan's lifeless body back to the safe house. Before she had been out at least once a week, mostly on missions. It hadn't mattered then, the danger that is. She had been in tight situations loads of times, but since she always had managed to get out of them unscathed no one had tried to stop her before. But ever since that day George had put his foot down. It was too dangerous, there were too few of the Order left. He wasn't going to risk it.

No matter how she tried, she couldn't forget that day, just like she couldn't forget the battle. Every memory was painfully clear; it was an awareness she had never experienced before. She could remember seeing ever spell that went passed her head, the pain of every cut and every curse – somehow the pain was much greater now afterwards, during the battle she had hardly felt them.

What she remembered most vividly though, was the moment when it all fell down. Voldemort's triumphed laughter, and the icing screams that emerged from the other side of the Great Hall. Without her noticed she had been left standing alone, everyone else seemed to have gathered where the screams came from. Blinking sheepishly, she had just stood there, her whole body frozen with the pain from her cursed leg pulsating. It was then, out of the chaos that George had emerged. Running towards her, with a terrified look in his eyes, he had grabbed her hand and dragged her with him out of the Great Hall.

"George! What is going on? Where are we going?" she had screamed at him, as he had dragged her further and further away form the scene.

"We need to get out of here Ginny. We lost, Harry's dead, we need to get out?" his frantic screams reached her, just as he pushed her down a passage.

She didn't remember much after that; everything had been a haze. She remembered them running, and she remembered seeing Remus and Tonks lifeless bodies. She wasn't sure, but Ginny thought she had screamed then. Fighting against George's pull. She had wanted to stay with them, but George mercilessly dragged her away. She remembered meeting Susan, who had been in the same state of shock as Ginny had and how George had made her come with them. Somehow they had gotten out of the castle, they where one of the few who did. But one thing remained with her as they escaped: _Harry's dead_.

George had managed to contact the remaining Order members, but they were so few and as the month passed by one by one fell under. Now they were only four left – Professor McGonagall, George, Kingsley and herself – as they huddled in the last safe house of the Order.

"Ginny," a soft voice reached her, making her jump as she woke up from her musings. She spun around, only to meet the stern face of Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, you startled me!" Ginny exclaimed, letting a breath out. She had lost herself in her thoughts again, not noticing the Professor coming up behind her. It was an unforgivable habit of hers, if you were to believe Mad-Eye, and Ginny couldn't help but agree.

"Sorry dear, there's something I need to talk to you about."

The older of the two sat down next to the redhead by the kitchen table, even inside the colours were dull the Professor noted, Ginny's normally fiery red hair was more a rust-like shade of red now than fire and her freckles was almost non-existence. The younger girl looked up on her with dead eyes; there hadn't been a spark in them since before the battle.

With a sigh the older woman put a small wooden box on the table, the redhead's eyes darted to the object immediately. The shape reminded her of one of those musical boxes one could find in muggle shops, it even had a handle as a music box did. The sides were decorated in what looked like waves, chasing each other, and the top was covered with runes. The runes looked like nothing Ginny had ever seen before, they were either much older than the ones she had learned about in her ancient runes class, or they were completely foreign.

"What is it?"

"This is a _Doua Drumuri _box. Have you ever heard of those?" The younger girl could only shake her head, her eyes still fixed on the box as if it had hypnotised her. "There are only a few of these in the world, and only one documented use of them. I came across this box in my early twenties, and have studied it since. But it has never responded to me, or anyone else before. These boxes resembles a wand in that sense, not everyone can use them, and only the ones the box itself chooses."

Finally able to break away from the box, the brown eyes set on the old Professor, "Why are you telling me this, professor?"

"Because, as I said, it never responded to anyone else before, but it does now. And that person is you Ginny. You could use it, and you could fix this."

There was a sparkle in the older woman's eyes that Ginny hadn't seen for years, a building hope. As she started speaking her eyes trailed to the box again, "Fix this? How could a box fix _this_?"

"This box allows you to go back to a place in time where fixing fate is manageable. You could stop all of this from happening! You could stop You-Know-Who from taking over!"

Ginny felt the older woman's intense stare on her, but she couldn't let her eyes off of the box, "Why me?"

"I don't know… there has never been enough documents on these boxes to be able to figure out how they chooses their witch or wizard. But one thing I do know is that this box has chosen you, you can feel it can't you? The pull?"

The young girl nodded absent-mindedly. Could she do it? Go back in time and save everyone? Her family and Hermione? Neville and Luna? Could she save Susan? _Harry_?

By the Professor's next words the girl snapped out of her musings, "Will you do it?"

Ginny glanced at the Professor, hope was written all over the older woman's face. Her eyes trailed over to the window, watching the only brother she had left as he sat in the garden by the graves of everyone they had lost since the battle. Her eyes stopped again by the box, the Professor was right; she could feel the pull from the box.

She sighed, "What do I have to lose?"

A rare smile emerged on the older woman's lips, as she handed over a scroll that she had had hidden in her robes.

"I want you to make your way to Hogwarts as soon as you arrive and hand me this scroll. I've included a memory that will make the past me sure of you. Do you know the first rule about time-travel, Ginny? Try not to be seen, at least not until you've talked to me." The young girl nodded again, as her eyes trailed over to her brother. "I'll let you say your goodbyes, and then I want you to pack. I want you to leave as soon as possible."

* * *

><p>The young man in the garden didn't show any sign of notice as his sister silently sat down next to him. With hesitation she reached for his hand, he didn't respond, but he didn't dismiss her touch either which the younger girl took as a good sign.<p>

They sat in silence for a good few minutes before the girl spoke, "I'm leaving, in less than an hour. McGonagall has given me a mission."

It took another few minutes for her brother to respond to her. Slowly he faced her, his vacant eyes set on hers. He gave her a short nod before he turned away again, once again setting his eyes on the graves in front of him. Every person that had died from the Order after the battle had had his or her lifeless bodies dumped outside the safe house. George had taken it upon himself to bury them in the garden, it had never been that big of a deal before but Susan's death had broken him. With a sigh his sister laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes, savoured the feeling of having him close for the last time.

After what Ginny felt had been too short a time, she let him go and moved to stand up. Just as she was about to turn and walk inside she heard his voice for the first time that day.

"Just be careful, promise?"

"You know I always am," she said teasingly, making a ghost of a smile appear on his face. It was the closest to his old self she had seen in months, which in itself was quite depressing as it was nowhere close to who he used to be.

Quickly she made her way up to her room, determined to bring some memories with her. She tucked a picture of her and Harry, along with Ron and Hermione in her pocket. Digging through her drawer she found a set of other photos, off her family, off Neville and Luna. The newest one in the bunch was off Susan and George, it was been taking one and a half month ago and just a little while before Susan's death. It had been one of the last times she had seen a genuine smile on George's lips.

After pushing the photos down her pocket, and making sure she had her friendship bracelet that she had received from Luna on her wrist, she started to walk down the stairs. Professor McGonagall met her in the hallway with the small wooden box that now seemed to sing to Ginny. The melody was so enchanting that she almost didn't notice when the Professor started speaking.

"You can't use it in here, this device only let's you travel through time, not through space. In this area it is just like a time-turner. Go to the field close by and spin the handle. It should open up to you and take you to when it sees fit."

"How far back will I go?"

"Not more than a few years. Probably just three or four years I would think."

The young girl nodded, taking the small box in her shaking hands. She had to admit that she felt a bit afraid, what if something went awfully wrong? What if it didn't work? The thought of going outside the wards alone made her frightened as well. That was something she hadn't been allowed to do in months, what if the Death Eaters would arrive before she had been able to activate the device?

As if the older woman had read her thought, she took the girl's hands in hers, "Be brave now, dear. Hurry to the field, and do not hesitate when you've arrived. The faster you've escaped from this time, the better."

McGonagall gave her a stiff hug, and Ginny was on her way out the door. With as quick steps as she could manage with her bad leg she walked down the street, breathing in the chilling November air. Holding her wand ready in her wand-hand and the box snugly in her other, she glanced nervously around her.

In less than ten minutes she had arrived to the empty field that was laid down just outside the residential area that housed the safe house. Wasting no time, she took the box in both hands and started spinning the handle around. Just as the handle said stop to the spinning she heard two loud _POPS_. She quickly let go of the handled, whom began to spin back around as the lock slowly started to open.

Feeling the panic bubble up in her stomach she tried to locate where the sound has come from. But as she raised her eyes from the box up to the field, she could see nothing but white fog surrounding her. The melody she had heard before from the box had now gotten much louder, as if someone had slowly turned up the volume and she hadn't noticed it until the sound was pounding in her ear. Through the box's melody she could hear angry screams, but it was so distant now.

Looking back down, she saw that the box had now opened up completely. The box was filled with golden cogwheels, reminding her of one of the clocks her father had loved to take apart, who where all spinning around. Slowly at first, but the speed increased rapidly making her dizzy. With great effort she looked back up, away from the box, but the sight that met her was far away from comforting. The white fog was now gone, and she saw how time started to move backwards. Everything was clear to her, all the people, the ones who hurt and the ones who laughed. The ones who loved and the ones who cried. They penetrated her mind, burning through her eyes, and it was painful the way the images flickered past her.

With one last power effort she shut her eyes closed as her fingers held a tight grip of the box. All that was left for her to see now was Harry's brilliant green eyes, as the world span madly on around her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **_This is what happens when I listen to too much Guns N' Roses, read too much fanfiction and watch too many scifi shows. Getting that over with, this is my first Harry Potter fanfiction I've ever written, though I've been reading them for quite some time now._

_And I know, time-travel is over used and so on and so on. But time, in general, have always been a subject I've been very fascinated with so I couldn't help myself. I do hope you enjoy this, and yes it will be very slow at the beginning and the romance part will take time. There are a lot of things Ginny, and Sirius needs to go through before they can start a functional relationship with each other, but hopefully you'll enjoy that ride._


	2. Walking on a Dream

**Chapter 1: Walking on a Dream**

If it weren't for the cold, Ginny would've been sure she was dead. But the cold penetrated all her thoughts and feelings. She wasn't sure when the world around her stopped spinning, or maybe it was Ginny who spun around. She wasn't very sure of anything, just that she was cold. Colder than she's ever been. It was the sort of cold that came from within, contrary to the one snow and ice would give you. This cold would never truly leave her, of that she was certain. So she kept her eyes shut, and felt the cold numb her.

But somewhere along the line she would have to open them up, maybe it would make her feel better? Because as disturbing as the images that had flashed in front of her eyes were, they couldn't be worse than what she saw when she had them closed. All she could see was Harry's excellent green eyes, all the love that used to harbour them. It made her feel so low – guilt and grief cut through her heart like a sword.

With all the strength she could muster, she threw her eyes open. Now this was more force then she would've needed, and she winced as she tried to focus her gaze. The whole thing would've been comical to Ginny if this had been before the war. Now the redhead barely registered it.

She didn't move, as her gaze wandered around, taking the settings in. She was standing in the same field as before, not far away from the residential area, but still far away for no one to have noticed her arrival. For this she was thankful, she had enough on her mind than to try and explain to muggles how she magically appeared in thin air.

As she tried to move, she felt a dull ache in her bones. Every movement took much longer, and much more force from her, than they usually did. It almost felt as if her body was covered in ice and she was trying to break through it.

With a firm grip on her wand, which was hidden under her long jumper sleeve, and with the box pressed tightly against her stomach she began making her way towards the houses. It was late at night, with only the moon and stars lightning up the block she had arrived to. Feeling more at ease she held her wand hand out, hoping the Knight Bus would yet be in use.

To her relief a loud _bang_ could be heard not long after. The large bus, coloured in a violent purple, had stopped right in front of her. With a sigh of relief she climbed onboard.

She had been lucky when she had boarded the Knight Bus, for it had only been two people on the bus before her. So when she arrived in Hogsmead it was still pitch-dark outside. This all worked in her favour, since she wanted to be seen by as few people as possible.

With a smile and a little wave she said her goodbyes to Ernie and a middle-aged man, who was the conductor of the Knight Bus in this time, named Jez. Ginny hadn't been able to hear his last name though, not that is mattered that much, but it made her feel a bit rude. It had been very long though, and foreign sounding, and completely impossible to remember.

Another _bang_ and the Knight Bus were gone, with only Ginny left on the road. She made quite a pitiful sight as she stood there in her large Weasley jumper, which was probably three sizes too big for her. It had originally been George's – bright orange with a large G in the front – he had wore it during the battle, but on the first night in the safe house he had given it to her and she had kept it since. Underneath she had a pair of tight fitting black jeans with holes around the knees – they truly needed to get patched up. Her sneakers, who had once been white, where a more brown-grey colour now, and her left one sported a big hole in the front. She didn't even want to think about her hair, because she was sure it was a mess.

It wasn't until now it dawned on her; she had absolutely no idea of how to get in to Hogwarts. She highly doubted that the gate would let her just wander in to the grounds, and she only knew about two secret passages. One she had to break into the Honeydukes cellar and she wasn't even sure if the second one worked yet.

Deciding that the Honeydukes one would be her best shot, as she knew that one should be open, she started making her way towards the sweetshop. Cursing under her breath that she didn't have Harry's invisibility cloak to hide under, she stopped in front of the shop's door. Carefully, as to not make a sound she tried the doorknob. It was locked, but she hadn't expected more. With a light movement with her wand, as she whispered _Alohomora_, she attempted for a second time to open the door. This time though the door reacted, just not in the way Ginny had wished. With a loud _bang_ she was shot backwards from the door and landed a few feet's away. She winced from the pain that emitted from her left arm; the one she had landed on and she could feel her bad leg starting to throb. Quickly she staggered to her feet, grabbed the box which she had lost a grip on in the fall, and fled into the darkness, a few seconds later she heard sprinting footsteps coming closer. They stopped right in front of the door to Honeydukes, even though she tried Ginny couldn't see whom it was, probably no one she knew anyway.

"Its no one here Finn," the shadow-person said loudly as another pair of steps could be heard. "Probably just a cat that tried to get in."

"Are you sure?" 'Finn' answered. "The wards don't go off by just someone touching the door!"

'Finn' sounded irritated and moved closer towards the door, this Ginny took as a cue to leave and she hurried away as quietly as she could manage.

_Shit, shit, shit, shit_, she cursed as she made her way towards The Hog's Head. _Bloody hell, this is not going as I had planned_, she thought as she mentally crossed out the Honeydukes passage. She was also going to have to cross out the plan on not being seen. If she were going to try for the passage in the Hog's Head, then she would have to order a room. There would be no way to get to Ariana's portrait otherwise. That was if it even worked. Minerva, no scratch that, _Professor_ McGonagall, had told her she would only be sent back a few years, so that would mean that Aberforth still owned the Hog's Head, and that would mean the portrait would be there still. That at least was a relief – if anything.

The door creaked lightly as she swung it opened, making the slumberous looking bartender startle. A younger Aberforth, though he still had his white hair, looked up at her and locked her gaze as she strode towards the bar.

"I was wondering if you had a vacant room for me to hire for one night?" Ginny asked, suddenly very nervous.

Aberforth just nodded, as he picked up a dirty cloth starting to clean a glass. Ginny threw some money up on the bar, hoping it would be enough as Aberforth hadn't told her just how much it would cost. Luckily for her, this seemed to satisfy the white-haired man as he nodded again. Slowly he put down the cloth and the glass, and reached for one of the keys that were hanging on the wall. The one he handed Ginny was labelled with a seven. Without a word he began to clean the glass again, making Ginny raise her eyebrows in amusement. But she wasn't the one to complain, as this all worked in her favour.

As she made her way up the rickety wooden staircase, she took one last look around the dirty pub and it's clientele. There was only one other wizard in the pub, and he had fallen asleep by his table, snoring loudly. Aberforth was cleaning the glass in a hypnotic fashion, clearly disappearing into his own mind.

The first thing that caught Ginny's eyes as she emerged into the second floor was the portrait of Ariana hanging above the fireplace. The girl in the painting smiled sweetly to her. Not daring to have too much hope, Ginny closed in towards the portrait, holding her breath.

"Hi there, are you open yet?" Ginny said with a trembling voice. All she really wanted though was to turn around and run away, it seemed so easy. But with a heavy heart she steadily continued with her mission. "The passage to Hogwarts, does it work?"

The small girl looked at her – in what seemed like forever for the redhead – her eyes travelled down to the box in Ginny's hands, when she finally looked back up she smiled lightly and nodded. With a quiet creak the portrait swung open, showing the passage that Ginny had walked through to get to the final battle. That time she had had her twin brothers with her. They had been joking and pushing her the whole way through. Now she had to walk the long way all on her own.

Quickly she climbed through the portrait, leaving her room key behind on the floor. As she started to make her way, she heard the portrait closing itself again. A small smile graced her lips; she was on her way now. Her goal was so close, just a little bit longer, and then she could close her eyes again.

She emerged into what she figured to be the Room of Requirement. It looked exactly like it had before the battle. Only now it was empty, no laughing students or determined faces to welcome her. Neville didn't throw his arms around her, smiling reassuringly through the bruises and she didn't meet Harry's green eyes, so full of worry and love. None of this met her, only silence.

"Now what," she mumbled while walking around the room aimlessly. _The date would be good to know though and an identity_, she thought and snorted in amusement when a few papers appeared on the table closest to her. The redhead closed in on the table and picked up the parchments.

_Ginevra McGonagall_, she read and let out a loud laugh. Why not, she only had to convince Minerva that they're related, _easy as can be_, she thought in what seemed to be morbid sort of humour. She continued reading through the papers, _Date of Birth: August 11, 1959_. To this she choked, seriously? How far back had she travelled? Quickly skimming through the papers she found the day's date. _Saturday, September 11th, 1976_.

In chock the dropped the papers, making them mournfully fall to the floor. The seventies? _But, McGonagall had said it wouldn't be more than three or four years! _Her breath became more frantic as the room blurred out. Slowly she slides down to the floor where she curled into a ball. It wasn't until now it dawned on her; she was over twenty years in the past with no way to go home. She would never see Harry again, or her brothers – her oh so stupid brothers that she loved too much. She would never be on the receiving end of one of Hermione's lectures, or hear Luna talk about the Crumple-Horned Snorkack or any of the other creatures she blindly believed in. Susan would never again curl up behind her nuzzling close, and Neville would never sit beside her in front of the fireplace tending her latest wounds.

Yet, even when all of this was crashing down on her, her cheeks remained dry, as they had for too long. She knew she should cry, she needed it desperately. But ever since the first night after the battle when she cried herself to sleep, she had had no more tears to cry. She was empty and she knew it, and perhaps she would remain empty until her last of days. The thought didn't upset her nearly as much as it should.

After a few minutes – or maybe hours – she pulled herself together and stood up, her hands lightly brushing off the dust from her clothes. She picked up the parchments with her still shaking hands and folded them as neatly as she could, firmly she placed them in the same pocket as the letter she had received from McGonagall earlier. With a deep breath she opened the door and peaked out.

When she didn't see anyone out in the corridor, she quickly started towards Professor McGonagall's office. She managed to get to the big wooden door without any mishaps, though there was a close call when Filch on the fifth floor almost caught her. Her heart fluttered with a rapid speed as she knocked on the office door. What if the professor didn't believe her? What was she supposed to do then?

She heard fast paced steps and the door opened up. A tired looking Professor McGonagall stood before her, dressed in her nightgown, Ginny guessed she had woken the professor up. Not the best first impression she had ever made, but there was no helping that matter. She felt the professors scrutinising gaze fall upon her, she was probably trying to place her. _Good luck with that Minerva_, Ginny thought dryly.

"Who may you be, and what are you doing at my door at this hour?" Professor McGonagall's stern voice said.

"I… ehm… I have a very personal matter I would like to discuss with you. In private," Ginny said, letting her defiant eyes fall upon Professor McGonagall.

After what seemed to be an hour for Ginny, but which was probably just a few seconds, Professor McGonagall nodded shortly.

"Come with me then, in to my office," the professor led her in to the office Ginny had spent so much time in. Both after the Chamber-incident, as Ginny liked to call it nowadays since going deeper into the issue made guilt stock up her throat, and because of all the mischief she had gotten herself into through the years. She wasn't the younger sister of Fred and George Weasley for nothing, even Bill and Charlie had left some of that legacy on her shoulder, and Ginny wasn't one to disappoint.

"So, what is your business here, miss?" the stern woman asked when they both had taken their seat by the large desk.

Biting her lower lip, unsure of what to say, Ginny placed the box on the desk. She could swear she saw the older woman's eyes widen, but to Ginny's relief she didn't say anything. She then took the scroll from her pocket that she had received from McGonagall in her time and handed it over to the younger version.

Without a word the Professor unfolded the scroll and out fell a small bottle, "What is this?"

"It's a memory, Professor," Ginny fidgeted about as she spoke.

Eyeing her suspiciously, the older woman rose from the chair, "I'll will be with you again shortly. Stay here," she said as she exited the office.

A few moments later the Professor came back into the office, meeting the nervous eyes of the redhead.

"So, miss Weasley is it?"

Ginny could only nod, deciding that the Professor must have learned that from whatever memory the small bottle had contained.

"So, the box reacted to you?" her eyes now dancing with interest as she spoke, "I never though I would see the day. What year are you from, dear?"

"Ehm… I'm from 1998. I didn't think it would take me this far back, this is 1976, right?"

"Ah, yes it is," the older woman answered absentminded before continuing talking more to herself than to Ginny, "Twenty years, really?"

"I-ehm, I received a few papers on my arrival here," Ginny started, she found it best not to mention the room as it wasn't widely known and she preferred it kept that way. "They'll give me an identity, one I hope you'll accept."

The Professor gave her a curious look before taking the papers from Ginny's hands. Eyeing the papers quickly, a small smile appeared on her lips, before she look up on the redheaded girl in front of her.

"These are very good. We should drop these off at the ministry as soon as possible. Have you looked through all of them?" she asked, to this Ginny merely shook her head. "Well, you will appear as the daughter to my brother Malcolm McGonagall. He was married to a Belgium girl, named Annemarie Mertens. You grew up in Belgium, but at home you only spoke English because of your father's heritage. The school you went to was a small private institute for foreigners where the official language was English as well. The school was called Boisrouge, and is situated in Belgium close to France. Every summer your family came and visited me in the Highlands, which is why you're only fluent in English. Deatheaters killed both your parents when you were all visiting me in the Highlands during the summer, you're staying with me now since I'm your last living relative, you're mother had no siblings and her parents are dead. Understood?"

Ginny nodded, trying to remember every detail, "Ehm-how much of this is true? I mean is it all made up, or does it have roots in truths? I'm only asking because I've noticed through the years that it's easier to remember a lie and that people tend to believe the lie easier if it has truth in it."

"Don't you worry about that. I had indeed a brother named Malcolm who got murdered this summer along with his wife and children. The wife, Annemarie was from Belgium, and the children grew up and went to school there. So all in all, the only lie here is that you was part of the family." The older woman let her eyes fall on the redhead in front of her. She was nervously biting her lower lip as she took everything in. "Is there something more you was wondering about?"

Ginny released her lip from her teeth and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "I had-um, I had six older brothers back at home. In case I accidentally let's something slip, should I pretend I had brothers as a McGonagall too?"

McGonagall seemed to consider this for a long time before she answered, "Might as well, they all died with your parents. You were with me in a near-by village at the time of the attack, which is why you survived."

"I should probably write this down," Ginny said dryly, still not really comprehending all the changes in her life. It felt like she was walking in a dream and would soon wake up.

In agreement McGonagall nodded, and began to quickly scrabble down the key facts on a parchment for Ginny. Without looking up she added, "You'll sleep on my couch tonight and tomorrow we'll go to the Ministry and leave your papers. We should probably go to Diagon Alley and buy you some things for school as well."

"I brought a little bit of money," Ginny added, fidgeting nervously with her sleeve. "I could pay most of it myself, I think."

"Nonsense, you're a McGonagall now," the Professor added, her voice was soft and a small smile graced her lips. "I'll go and talk to the Headmaster as well, and we'll have you enrolled on Monday. Tomorrow during dinner I would assume you'd be sorted into your new house." 

"In front of everybody?" Her eyes were wide now, and she swallowed nervously.

"Yes, it is tradition. Come here now dear, I'll fill you in with more details in the morning."

It was impossible for Ginny to fall asleep that night. Not that the couch wasn't fine, she had slept in places far more uncomfortable than that before and Ginny was one of those annoying people who could fall asleep everywhere no matter how uncomfortable it was. No, it was everything that had happened during the day that was rushing through her head. It was overwhelming and surreal, like some twisted tale in a children's book.

She still couldn't cry, no matter how badly she wanted to. It would've probably been good for her to get an outlet for all the emotions that stirred in her body, but she was still as dry as the desert. The curse of the long-time broken soul, like a dried-out flower.

_Malcolm McGonagall and Annemarie Mertens. Boisrouge. Belgium. Highlands._ She repeated the names and places over and over in her head, to make them stick. More than once she had been forced to look at the paper from McGonagall to remember them.

She must've fallen asleep in the end, she figured, for the sun shone when she opened her eyes next. Slowly she sat up, feeling completely exhausted by the lack of sleep. She had just slipped her big sweater over her head as McGonagall exited her bedroom, fully dressed.

"You're awake, good. I'll have the house elves to come with breakfast for you. I have to arrange a few things while you eat, so I'll be coming back later and we'll leave then."

With that she left, leaving Ginny still on the couch, with furrowed eyebrows and half-closed eyes as she was still not used to the bright light that filled the room. True to her word, breakfast appeared on the table a few moments later, a mouth-watering breakfast if she was allowed to add her opinion. Food on the run had been nowhere as lovely as the food at Hogwarts.

She had just finished her breakfast as McGonagall entered the room again. She looked up at the older woman as she closed in on her. It was an apprehensive expression on her face as she spoke, "Ah, you're ready then? The headmaster would like to meet you before we go."

Ginny nodded dumbly before she managed to collect her wits, "Yes, of course." She gave a small smile as she stood up, flattening her clothes with her hands. Of course Dumbledore would want to meet her, how could she have forgot about that? _But what should I say? Should I tell him everything I know, or should I keep some parts out?_

Still in her own thoughts, she followed the Professor down the corridor towards the Headmaster's office. However, she got woken up from her musings by the voices that surrounded her. Looking up from her feet she saw a few students standing in the corridor, looking at her with great interest as she passed, talking to each other and where the object of their conversation clearly was she. To her mortification she could feel her face heat up and the good old Weasley blush worked it's magic. Hastily she looked down on her feet again, quickening her steps.

The walk to Dumbledore's office was quick, to Ginny's relief, though her blush had yet to leave her face and by now she was convinced that her face was redder than her hair. They had met more students during their walk – all had politely greeted McGonagall, and then sent a curious look in her direction. Luckily for her, no one had tried to talk to her – she wasn't ready for that yet.

After giving the Gargoyle the password, which was – much to Ginny's amusement – a sweet even in this time, the pair jumped up on the moving stairs that took them up to the Headmaster's office.

The office looked just like Ginny remembered from previous visits, not that she had been a regular to the Headmaster, but every now and then she had been called up. McGonagall guided Ginny to one of the chairs in front of the big desk before leaving the girl alone in the large circular office. The portraits that hung over the desk all looked at her with interest, some had grace enough not to stare, but Ginny could still feel their eyes on her. As she sat down the Headmaster came into the room; his eyes filled with something Ginny couldn't quite place.

"Ah, you must be the new miss McGonagall," he said as he took a good look at her. "Minerva has told me about you."

He sat down behind his desk, still looking at her, in that infuriating way that made her feel like he could see right through her.

"She told me that the box had reacted to you? Is that true?" he asked, all Ginny could do was nod, she still had no idea what she should tell him, how much she should tell him. "Fascinating, I never thought I should see the day. I remember when Minerva first showed me the box, it's magic is incredible.

"Now tell me, how does it come that the box – with all it's ancient magic, reacted to a girl like you?" his dreaming appearance changed into a stern, and a very serious one as he spoke the last words.

"A-ehm, a girl like me?" she asked nervously. She did not feel comfortable under Dumbledore's scrutinizing gaze, not comfortable at all.

"Yes, a girl like you. These boxes are filled with very old magic, and they choose their witch or wizard with extreme care. So what I don't understand is why this box choose a witch with so much dark magic surrounding her."

**A/N:** _Thanks for all the reviews, I really appreciate them!_

_And yes, I chose to make Ginny go all the way back to the Marauders' era, in truth I like older Sirius more, but it works better for the plot to go back to the 70's. You'll see as the story moves along. It will make sense._

_Also, remember when I said I was slow? Yes well, as you can see I am. Sirius will make an appearance next chapter though, just a small one but still. There's just a lot of other things that needs to be dealt with first._

_When it comes to their relationship, as I said before it will take time and there will be no love at first sight. It will be bumpy and difficult, so be prepared for that._

_Will try to have the next chapter out sometime next week, so I'll see you all then. Again, thank you all for reading!_


	3. Sound of Silence

**Chapter 2: Sound of Silence**

"_Yes, a girl like you. These boxes are filled with very old magic, and they choose their witch or wizard with extreme care. So what I don't understand is why this box choose a witch with so much dark magic surrounding her."_

Ginny couldn't help but to stare at him in disbelief, _dark magic? How could that be? _She had never herself had anything to do with dark magic. But then it hit her, _ah of course_, for the last two years she had been nothing but surrounded by every type of dark magic you could imagine. And hadn't she been hit by more than one spell that was considered dark? No one went to hell and back without scars.

Dumbledore watched as her expression changed from confusion to understanding, and when she met his eyes again there was a calm and determined look in them.

"Sir, with all due respect, I may have scars of dark magic, but that does not mean I would ever actually practice it of my own free will. All types of magic leave traces after being used either by you or against you," she said clearly, all nervousness was gone from her voice now. "As to why the box would choose me, well I suppose that it would be because I was one of the only one left. Well I was the only one left that hadn't completely given up."

She met his eyes dead on, without flinching and with all the strength she could muster. After a moments silence Dumbledore nodded slowly. "I believe you.

"There's quite a lot of information that you have to share, isn't there? I would love to hear it all now, but I think we all can agree that is all for another time. So for now, the only thing I will ask of you is to lay low, don't draw attention to yourself and do not be open about which side in the war you're siding for," when he saw Ginny's confounded expression he merely smiled to her. "The less people know about you, all the more freedom is given to you to do as you please. Now, Minerva is waiting for you, Diagon Alley is much more pleasant in the early hours before the rush at noon. Don't you think?"

His eyes twinkled and he smiled warmly at her as he rose from the chair. "I also have another appointment this morning, and I am suspecting that they have arrived by now." Ginny looked at him with furrowed eyebrows and he let out a small chuckle. "They are not the most patient boys I've ever met, that I can admit."

"You sure are effective, sir." Ginny couldn't help but smile at him, as her words made the Headmaster look incredibly smug.

"I do try, dear," he stopped just by the big oak door, with one hand on the door and one on her shoulders. "And miss McGonagall, you will be sorted into your new house tonight at dinner. Don't be late."

She let out a huff and turned from Dumbledore to walk out the door he just opened, but was stopped by the frames of two boys. "Ah, Mr Potter and Mr Black, I was expecting you. Come on in."

Potter? Black? Her eyes widened and she glanced quickly up at the two boys, who were eyeing her curiously. _Shit_. She could feel the blood rush through her body – it almost felt like one of those Rolling Coats made you feel, she had gone on one with Fred and George once when a Fun Fair had been to Ottery St. Catchpole – and her stomach was doing acrobatics. How could she have forgotten about them? Of course they would be here now, it's the 70's. _Where is your mind Ginny?_ But then again, she had only been in the 70's for a day or so, and most of that time she had spent trying to get into Hogwarts without being seen, so she should be allowed a free pass for now.

"Um, thank you sir," she had quickly moved her gaze from the two boys – before she could even take a good look on them, that was something she didn't dare to do – to the Headmaster, who was looking as infuriating as usual. "Excuse me," she said as she pushed pass them.

"It was a pleasure to finally meet you, miss McGonagall." Dumbledore said, making the two boys' eyes widened. They looked at her intently as she hurried down the stairs. Of course Ginny missed this, she was busy trying to keep her heart from breaking through her chest with all the beating it insisted doing, and to keep her face a normal colour. It was too late for her ears, as they now sported a bright red hue, but maybe she could still save her face. _Those damn Weasley ears_, she thought angrily. Screw Rudolph – she remembered the reindeer from a muggle story Hermione had told her once during Christmas – if anyone could light up the way for Santa it would be her family and their ears.

And what was she supposed to do about the Marauders?

* * *

><p>The trip to Diagon Alley had been a rather smooth affair. As they had travelled early to the shopping district the usual crowd hadn't arrived yet. Ginny also found out that in private – and not in the we-are-in-the-middle-of-a-war-and-we-need-to-hide-together-private – McGonagall was a completely different person than she was at school. Whatever had been in the memory had made the Professor completely sure of her, and now she was treated as a part of the family. She had always had respect for the elderly woman, but now she was starting to become very fond of her too.<p>

McGonagall had prompted that Ginny was going to have the best of everything, she was a McGonagall now and she had a reputation to uphold. When the Professor had found out that Ginny played Quidditch as well, she had become ecstatic.

"You wouldn't be a McGonagall if you didn't play Quidditch," she said which made Ginny's lips curve with amusement. She had almost forgot how much the woman loved the sport.

When they finally left the Quidditch shop, Ginny was carrying a brand new broom and Quidditch attire. She was mesmerized by the craft of the broom, and she was sure she had never seen anything more beautiful. Well maybe she had, on Harry's Firebolt but that had not been hers so this broom won with horse length over the Firebolt. At first she hadn't been too fond of the idea to get a broom, knowing how expensive they all were, but after McGonagall's huffing and scuffing and her own longing she had given in, and she didn't regret it for the world.

They took a quick lunch at the leaky Cauldron, having bought everything but robes and they had yet to pick up a trunk for her. McGonagall had told her she had special ordered one that should be ready at two o'clock. When Ginny had asked about it the Professor had simply said that it was tradition for the family to have a custom-made trunk with the family crest and colours, making Ginny nod dumbly. Now, the McGonagall's wasn't a pure blooded family, the Professors father – and now Ginny's alibi's grandfather – had been a muggle. But the family was an old and respected one in the muggle world and being the proud woman McGonagall was she held on to every little thing.

All of this made Ginny feel a little bit self-conscious. Her family had never had such traditions, but then again her family was a bit of an oddity when it came to old families. She wouldn't put it past the Malfoy's to have everything custom-made; they probably even had their stupid crest on their socks.

"Professor McGonagall," she heard someone exclaim and her head snapped up. She was still in the mindset that everyone could be an enemy, but when she saw McGonagall's serene smile she tried to calm her speeding heart.

An elderly woman made her way over to them, walking gracefully between the tables that blocked her way. She was beautiful, in a way only age could make you, and Ginny couldn't help but wish to look as beautiful and content as this woman did when she grew older.

"I hadn't expected to see you here now this time during the year," she said, smiling kindly, with a sideway glance at Ginny. "What brings you here?"

"It's nice to meet you Mrs Potter," McGonagall said, making Ginny's ears peak out. "This here," she made a hand movement towards Ginny, "is my niece, Ginevra McGonagall. She's to start at Hogwarts this term, but arrived from Belgium a little late. We're here to make some necessary purchases."

"Your niece?" she said softly, looking intently at Ginny, who could feel her face yet again taking the unattractive shade of red that she had sported far too often in the 70's. "How come she's starting Hogwarts now, she does look a little bit old to be a first year."

"Well, desperate times," McGonagall said and Ginny could see the other woman's face fill with understanding. "And no, she's not a first year. She will start her seventh year this term."

"Along with my boys then," she laughed a little at Ginny's perplexed facial expression. "How rude of me, not to introduce me properly. My name is Dorea Potter," she reached out her hand towards Ginny, who took it nervously. "My son James and his rowdy pack of hooligans are seventh year Gryffindors, so I suspect you'll see a lot of them. Oh, don't worry pet," she said when she saw Ginny's wide eyes, "they aren't that bad. Just a little intense at times."

"You mean all the time, school has only been on for less than two weeks and they have already been served three detentions and lost almost 100 points. I'm always as mesmerized when at the end of the year we aren't the last house in the house cup." McGonagall huffed, her voice stern but the more time Ginny spent with the elder woman the better she could hear the hidden humour in her voice and see the sparks in her eyes.

It was obvious to Ginny that even though the Professor didn't approve of everything the boys did, she was awfully proud to have them in her house. She was sure that Mrs Potter knew this too, as she started to grin slyly.

When the beautiful woman sat down with them, and neither of the women made any signs to move on, Ginny started to panic slightly. This was James' mother, Harry's grandmother. It was too close, and too soon. What was she supposed to say? She had to be polite since she was the niece of her friend, but Ginny didn't want to be remembered. She most of all she just wanted to melt in to the wall and disappear from the world.

Mrs Potter did, to Ginny's surprise, notice her discomfort. "Are you feeling alright, dear? You look a bit pale?" she asked, and smiled warmly, so much like Harry used to smile.

"Ehm, a little tired I suppose," Ginny said weakly, staring at the older woman. There was something of an understanding in her eyes and a way that made it feel like she was seeing right through her that made Ginny shift nervously. If James had this type of x-ray vision too then Ginny was in trouble of that she was sure.

"Yes, it's been a long couple of days. I suppose we should get going and finish up here, so you can get a bit of rest before the feast this evening," McGonagall said with a small smile before turning to Mrs Potter. "She's getting sorted tonight at dinner. I know Ginny would've just wanted to just blend in by the students and not get too much notice, but people are going to talk. So Albus thought it would be best to get over with that part as soon as possible. Might still peoples inquire sooner rather than later."

The pair got ready to leave, and as they said their good-byes to Mrs Potter the elder woman took Ginny hand in both of hers and squeezed it reassuringly.

"I'm sure you'll do great tonight, don't worry too much. Most students bark more than they bite," her knowing eyes bore into Ginny's. "I'm sure we'll see each other soon again. Until then, hold you head up high. Because I'm sure the road you are going to take will be a hard one."

After those cryptic words she left them, leaving Ginny staring after her. The woman had to know more than she let on. But how was that possible? She had only been here a little over a day and so far only McGonagall and Dumbledore knew. She was positive they hadn't told anyone else. So how could this woman know so much then? Whatever the reason was, Ginny knew she was going to have to keep a close eye on the Potters. Despite how much she just wanted to avoid the family all together, the wound was much too fresh. _Well, as she said Ginny, hold your head up high._

They finished up quickly after that and travelled back to Hogwarts around three o'clock, leaving Ginny a few hours to calm her nerves before dinner. She took a seat by the window in McGonagall's private chamber, with view over the grounds towards the lake. A small smile played on her lips as she watched the students lazily spend their Sunday afternoon in the sun.

She had been sitting there by the window for at least an hour when four boys caught her attention. She could recognize them even from this far away – two tall dark figures, one tall light brown and a shorter blonde one. They were huddled together by a large tree, just on the outside were most of the students laid in the grass.

Sheltered from intruders Ginny studied them intently, drank in their appearance and let her feelings flow. She had missed them so much, Sirius and Remus. They had meant a lot to her, more than most had known.

The first time she had ever really talked to Sirius had been one of the first nights spent in number twelve Grimmauld Place. She hadn't been able to sleep; her old nightmares about Tom had started again. The fact that she was sharing house with the ex-convict that she until just a few days ago had believed to be one of the scariest men in the history of ever didn't help much either. That was enough to hinder her from sleeping, but the house was a factor too. She was sure this house was one of the creepiest houses ever to exist. It was quiet and loud at the same time, and all those creepy tapestries that refused to go down, no matter how hard Ginny had pulled. She even had a dead bear head on one wall, which she had resulted in hanging a sheet over. Still, she could see the contours of its head, with the gaping mouth showing off all its sharp teeth.

In an attempt to make the night go faster – without closing her eyes and wait for the bear to attack her, or the house for that matter, which she was sure would happen if she relaxed – she decided to sneak down to the kitchen. Maybe there was some dreamless potions there, or sleeping draught or something equally strong to knock her out. She wasn't very picky, just some short cut to sleep and she was okay with most things.

Quietly she sneaked down to the kitchen; she had always been good with moving without making noise. A skill she had used without shame far too many times to get away from duties and mischief. She had been so busy walking quietly that she hadn't noticed that she wasn't alone in the kitchen, and when she did she came to an abrupt halt, almost knocking a chair over as she did.

The man at the table watched her with amused eyes, while sipping his tea; clearly he had noticed her much earlier.

"Erm, hi," she squeaked, and immediately wanting to hit herself for the annoying high pitch in her voice. Nervously she fidgeted with the sleeve of her pyjamas, looking everywhere but on the man in front of her.

He let out a barking laugh, one that Ginny was sure could start an earthquake on it's own if he let it. "Are you afraid of me?" he asked, still with laughter in his voice as he eyed her curiously.

With a snap she met his eyes, eyeing him suspiciously, the corners of her mouth started to twitch slightly upwards as she did. "I don't know, would it be funny if I was?"

"Yes, it would be fucking hilarious," he said while his eyes glittered even more, and there was even a flirtatious tone in his voice as he continued. "But there's no need love, I'm not going to hurt you."

With an indignant huff Ginny continued her walk to the kitchen bench and started raiding the cupboards. She could still feel Sirius' curious eyes on her, especially since she couldn't find what she was looking for and had started mumbling a rather rude tirade.

"What are you looking for love?" she heard him say from the table after she had let out a very dramatic and loud sigh.

Given up her search for something stronger, she decided to just drink some tea and begun to prepare a cup as she answered, "Nothing really, just something to help me sleep in this impossible place."

When she turned around she was met with a pair of eyes filled with understanding, not pity that so often filled people's eyes whenever she let on about her nightly troubles. Not that she had let on that much about it, but something told her Sirius got it. He probably hated this place just as much as she did, more so and he had lived in a nightmare for over a decade so she doubted the nights were his friend.

Hesitantly she sat down by the table with her reeking cup. "And you, trouble sleeping?" she asked with a weak smile.

He smiled back, in a way that softened the lines in his face. "I never sleep much."

After that, none of them said much for a while, sipping their tea in silence. It wasn't until Ginny made way to leave that Sirius spoke up again.

"Ginny, try this. If you have trouble sleeping that is." He handed her his cup and chuckled slightly at her perplexed expression.

With furrowed brows she took the cup and moved it to her lips taking a sip. She almost spit everything out as she immediately started coughing, making Sirius laugh heartedly. "What was in that?" she blurted out when she finally regained the ability to speak, then she narrowed her eyes at him. "You're not trying to poison me?"

"Shouldn't you've asked that before you drank it?" he said teasingly. "But no, it's firewhiskey, works like a charm."

He started laughing again at Ginny's raised eyebrows. "You spike your tea with firewhiskey? Why on earth would you do that?" she said, barely managed to hide the laughter in her voice.

"Takes the demons away," he said with a shrug as his eyes sparkled, making his hollow face come to life. _He must have been a very beautiful man when he was younger_, she had thought.

She pursed her lips as she raised the cup again to her mouth taking another sip, a much bigger one this time and she didn't cough or anything. "Thank you," she said simply as she handed him his cup back and left to go back to her room.

It became something of a nightly ritual for the two of them, meeting up in the kitchen. Later they moved up to Sirius' parlour, one of the many the monstrous house hosted. It was easier, and they didn't risk getting caught as easy as down in the kitchen. Not that it mattered that much for Sirius, though he was offering firewhiskey to a thirteen year-old – one that kept insisting on to be counted as a fourteen year-old 'because there was only a few weeks left until her birthday'.

Remus had joined them later, he had been quite scandalized when he realized what the two were doing, but got over it, somewhat, after Ginny's puppy-eyes and Sirius persuasion. So the pair became a trio, and sometimes-even Tonks joined in when she was visiting. During that summer it had been the one thing that made Grimmauld Place feel somewhat like home. It had been all thanks to him, Sirius, and to Remus as well.

Now they were here – or rather she was here with them – as young boys, not the grown-up men she had known. How was she supposed to behave around them? She knew them, but not this version of them. She couldn't be like she used to be around them, but at the same time she didn't want to be anything but. It was all very confusing.

Then it was James. Even from this distance she could see how much he resembled Harry – or was it Harry that resembled James? Just by sitting like this, watching him made it feel like her heart got stabbed with a knife, so how was she supposed to be able to face him? She knew she should stay away from him, at least until she could be sure to look at James and only see James – and not Harry. But she wanted to keep a track on him. If anything the meeting with Mrs Potter had made her, then it was curious of the family. She knew something and Ginny was determined to find out what, and if his mother knew then maybe James knew as well?

The other obstacle here was Peter, what was she supposed to do about Peter? True, she had never met Pettigrew in her time, but had heard enough about him to dislike him severely. But here he was, just a boy who hadn't done anything bad yet. Could she condemn him already? Or should she give him the benefit of a doubt? Having her around now was going to change things, and maybe Peter would be one of them? _Or maybe he won't and you will die too this time_, a sombre thought told her.

With a sigh she put her forehead on the window and closed her eyes, feeling the cold against her skin. There were so many things to consider, so many things to work through and she hadn't really started yet.

* * *

><p>"-and then Margaret stomped up to us and slapped him, leaving a bright red mark on his cheek. Do you know what the tosser-"<p>

"Oi!"

"-said then? 'I always knew you liked it rough, darling.' I swear her friends had to drag her away before she lost it." James finished, barely able to hold of his laughter enough to finish his story, receiving a glare from Sirius.

"I was getting bored with her anyway," he said as he ran his hand effortlessly through his black locks. The uninterested quality in his voice was prominent as he continued. "They are always so dramatic over every single thing. Always the same, it's getting old."

"And yet you continue," Remus mused, his eyes sparkling in amusement over his womanizing friend.

"Yeah, well, it's even more boring not to." He said with a shrug, sending a smirk to Peter, who sat and looked on with big eyes. "But we have something more important to discuss."

He sat up straight, sending a pointed look to James, who furrowed his eyebrows, "What?"

"The new girl!" Sirius proclaimed, throwing his arms out gesturing widely. Remus ducked, barely in time, to avoid getting hit as he did while looking at Sirius with a puzzled look.

"What new girl?"

"The McGonagall bird?" James said, finally grasping what Sirius was on about. "You really think she's related to the dragon?"

"I don't know, wouldn't surprise me."

"Then how come she-"

"I don't know! That's why I brought it up."

"Slow down! What girl?" Remus demanded looking sternly at James and Sirius, who know looked rather sheepish.

"You know how we were sent to the headmasters office this morning," James begun, while Sirius nodded his head enthusiastically. "Just as we are about to go in, the door opens and Dumbledore let's out this redheaded girl, and then he called her Miss McGonagall."

"More redheads? Like Lily then," Remus said with a smirk.

"Oh, no. Redder, and more freckles," Sirius answered with a wolfish grin. "Didn't help that her face got as red as her hair either after she walked straight into us." He let out a bark-like laugh as he thought back on the girl.

Remus raised his eyebrows at his last statement, "I suppose we'll find out at dinner, no doubt she'll be introduced then," he shrugged and let his eyes wander away from his ravenette friend, who now grinned rather devilishly.

"D'you think she likes Wizarding Chess?" Peter asked suddenly, his light blue eyes looked from boy to boy excitedly. It was a shame Peter had the colours he had, or more so lack of colours. Because in fact it looked like someone had splashed water over a painting making the usual stark colours wash away. This resulted in him more often than not blending in with the background and for his friends to overlook him, that and the fact he was such a quite boy. It was times like this, when he did speak up on his own that the other boys realised he was there, except the times when one of the boys wanted someone to encourage them.

"Even if she did, I doubt she'd play with you," Sirius pointed out, looking at the smaller boy with furrowed eyebrows, only to receive a sharp look from Remus.

"Still going to ask her," Peter mumbled grumpily as he started playing with a blade of grass, refusing to look at his friends. "No one else ever wants to play with me."

"You do that Peter," James said good-naturedly, yet a little absentmindedly as his eyes trailed away from his friend. "The worst that could happen would be her saying no."

"And you're used to that, aren't you Prongs?" Sirius let out another bark-like laughter, and received in return a punch in the arm from his mate.

"Lily just hasn't realised that I am the one and only for her, but she'll get there in time," James puffed out his chest and gave a loop-sided smile.

"You work on that James," Remus mumbled, he had laid down in the grass and his eyes were closed, fully determined not to open them up again until dinner time, no matter what. "Now shut up."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**_ Thanks again for all the lovely review, I really do appreciate them!_

_Thought I should explain a little bit about the story, things people have had thoughts about and will probably have even more so after this chapter. That's about McGonagall and Dumbledore accepting Ginny so quickly. Yes, I am aware of things going very smoothly for her right now, but you will find out the reasons. Why Dumbledore went along with it so quickly you will find out next chapter, and what the memory McGonagall received will be touched on later on. They have reasons for it._

_I've added a disclaimer in the **Prologue**, something I've realised that I've missed the first time around. I will only have it in there, as it will apply for the rest of the story. _

_And I hope the years and everything is correct. I did the math for everything during a night, after I've been out drinking so I was a bit drunk, a bit delusional and very tired. Let's just say that I never looked back nor cared to see if it was correct. Now I'm too lazy to fix any mistakes in that department, but if any possible errors in that area bugs you than let me know and I'll see what I can do._

_Again, thanks for reading and if you like it please leave a review :-)_


	4. Where Is My Mind

**Chapter 3: Where Is My Mind**

"You looked in her mind, didn't you? That's why you trust her," the elderly woman in his office stated. She was still standing up, despite the face that she's been up and about all day, refusing to sit on the chair he had offered.

"Yes, that I did. I had to be sure, you can understand that," he said, and true, she really could understand it. Didn't mean she liked it more though. "Don't worry, Minerva, she didn't notice and I didn't look too deep. She has a lot of information about the future, or the once to be future. Information I think neither of us should know."

Professor McGonagall finally gave in to the soft cushions resting on the chair, only to jump up again a few moments later and continue her pacing. The headmaster kept watching her in silence where he sat by his large desk; there were no twinkle in his eyes right now. In fact the whole atmosphere in the room was a grim one.

"Have you told her yet?" At the sound of his voice McGonagall stopped in her tracks and her eyes snapped up to meet his.

"No, I haven't had it in my heart to do so yet. I don't think she knows," she answered slowly as if every word was bitter on her tongue. "Done is done, of course but she's just a little girl."

"The box chose her for a reason, Minerva, and she chose the box. You have to let her do what she needs to do and you cannot protect her from it. The repercussions from such a choice will come, they have to."

Her face fell a bit at his words; she knew it was a silly wish. She, better than most, knew what the boxes meant. But spending the day with Ginny and seeing her be the young girl she really was had made the Professor wish she wouldn't have to get all the responsibility it meant on her small shoulders.

"Don't worry. I'll tell her what she needs to know at our next meeting."

The headmaster's words woke her up form her reverie and she nodded grimly in acceptance.

* * *

><p>While the Great Hall got filled with students, Ginny hid herself outside in an alcove just by the large doors. From her hiding place she could see them walking past her, faces of strangers and faces she recognized. Of those she could count Sirius, Remus, James and Peter, but there was also Snape, and a girl she thought could be Lily Evans, but she was less sure about that since she had never really seen a picture of the woman only heard about her. There were more faces that seemed familiar, but Ginny couldn't place them no matter how hard she tried. They were probably parents to some of her classmates, or maybe co-workers to her dad? She wasn't sure, and she wasn't sure she cared.<p>

When the last student had walked past her, the large doors closed, leaving the hall where Ginny was standing dead quiet. Her light, nervous breathing became the only sound to accompany her. It was almost like music, the breathing reminding her of beats, albeit a weird sort of melody.

She got woken up from her thoughts by the clinkering sound of shoes on a stone floor. Looking out from the alcove she saw McGonagall moving in the direction of her with a firm smile on her lips. Or should she call the older woman auntie now? _Auntie Minerva, yeah that don't sound weird at all._

"All the students are seated, let's get this over with shall we?" McGonagall said, and under all that sternness there was a surprising softness to it.

Ginny nodded faintly and followed the older woman as they entered the Great Hall. _Great, I have to walk all the way through, having everyone stare at me like I'm one of those zoo animals, just wonderful._

She raised her chin up, and looked straight ahead, only watching the students she passed in the corner of her eye. Sure, she was uncomfortable, who wouldn't be really? But she sure as hell wouldn't let any of them know that fact.

When she reached the teacher's table, Dumbledore rose up from his chair and met her with a smile. The murmurs and whispers that had filled the hall were silenced with a small hand gesture from the headmaster as he started talking.

"Ah, students. Before we jump into the delicious feast that's been prepared for us this evening there is a small matter we need to sort through. We have a transfer student with us, her late arrival from Belgium, where she attended a small private institute for foreigners, is due because of some small errors in paperwork. Now, that's all settled and she needs to be sorted.

Let's say welcome to miss Ginevra McGonagall."

The students clapped politely and the headmaster gestured to Ginny to sit down on the rickety wooden stool, which creaked slightly as she did. Professor McGonagall, who had kept an impassive face during the walk through the hall, gave her a small comforting smile, placed the Sorting Hat - which looked slightly less worn than last time she'd seen it - on her head. Even though she was far older than the first time she had the hat placed on her head it was still much too big for her. The brim of the hat covered her eyes and rested heavily on the tip of her nose.

"Well, well, well. You are something completely different," she heard the hat say. "You're not what you seem, aren't you. Not at all, you're nothing like I've ever encounter before and yet your mind tells me that we've already done this once."

"We have, or will," she thought in reply. "Or I don't really know anymore."

"No that you don't. My, my, this is interesting. A _Doua Drumuri _box, never in all my years I would have thought to meet a user of one."

"You know of them?" Ginny thought in surprise.

"But of course, I know of a lot of things, miss _Weasley_. You have a long way to go, a long and difficult one indeed. But you already know all of that don't you? Now, let's move on to the things at hands shall we?"

To this Ginny merely chuckled. "I could easily fit you into any house, that I could. But in which do you belong? You have the loyalty of a Hufflepuff, but you are not diligent enough are you? And the mind of a Ravenclaw, but that is not something you care about, no it is not. Then you have the cunning of a Slytherin, but not the ambition, power is not something you seek. You are brave as the Gryffindors, but is it really braveness you possess? Can someone be brave when she does not particularly fear? Or is it just stupidity then?"

"I'm not stupid!" Ginny thought indignant. "And I do fear, I fear a lot of things!"

"No, you don't. You fear a part of a man that does no longer exist, and you fear nought but one object and one place, no more, no less. The rest you've grown indifferent towards, you worry and they irritate you, but you do not fear them. That is not bravery my dear girl, that is folly."

"If not Gryffindor, then where should I go?"

"That is an excellent question my dear. Where should you go, a good question indeed. All evidence point to one of the other houses, yet something tells me that despite the issue of your bravery Gryffindor is where you belong. Don't you agree?"

"I-well I suppose, it has always been my house."

"Then there is where you'll be placed," the hat told her in her ear before he yelled out for the Hall to hear. "GRYFFINDOR."

Never had she heard a house clap as enthusiastically for a new member of their house as Gryffindor did in that moment. When Professor McGonagall took the hat off of her head, she met the woman's eyes, the pleased look in her eyes made a small smile grace Ginny's lips.

Quickly she turned on her heels and started a walking swiftly towards the Gryffindor table. Finding a vacant spot near the end of the table, in the midst of a group of girls, she sat down and waited for the headmaster to speak again.

"Oh my, wasn't that exciting?" he said when the clatter had died down. "I trust you make her feel like home for the rest of the year." He clasped his hands together and looked at everyone expectantly, almost childishly. "Now, I trust I'm not the only one who's stomach soon will start an orchestra, so let's dive in, shall we?"

The moment he stopped talking and started back to his seat, the Great Hall got filled with noises again. The girls surrounding Ginny immediately turned their attentions to her, smiling broadly, the one girl on her right put out her hand for her to shake, which Ginny did. She had light brown, wavy hair, that reminded Ginny a little bit of Hermione's only less unmanageable, and sienna coloured eyes with a pale olive complexion. Her whole self radiated confidence, and Ginny was at once sure that this girl was somewhat of a leader for the group around her.

"Hi, I'm Greta Thomas, sixth year prefect, welcome to Gryffindor." She said with a light shrug, as her smile only got wider. "Ginevra, right?"

"Erm, hi, thanks. I go by Ginny actually," Ginny smiled nervously back to the girl. "Ginevra is so long and dry."

Greta just smiled back with her unwavering smile, and the rest of the girls introduced themselves. There was an Elizabeth Travers on her left, a Niobe Pascoe and a Jennifer Rahman opposite her; all three of them were fifth years. Then there were two more sixth years in the group, Jadzia Strout who sat beside Jennifer, and Selina Williams who was seated next to Greta.

"So, what year are you in?" Elizabeth asked shyly. Her look was somewhat similar to Greta's, only much darker and her hair was straight, almost black. Next to her Ginny and her paleness would appear almost luminescent.

"Seventh year actually. I was going to finish off my studies back in Belgium, but my aunt wanted to have me near this year," Ginny answered and gave a small smile back to the shy girl. She suspected that she would come to really like Elizabeth, if what she saw from her now was any indication of how the girl was on a regular basis. She was shy, but there was a boldness hiding beneath it and she seemed to have her head in the right place.

"Your aunt? Are you related to Professor McGonagall then? We were sort of wondering," Selina butted in, smiling smugly.

"Ah, yes. We share the same last name, so that's sort of obvious?" Ginny couldn't help but to raise her tone in the end of the sentence, making it a question. Really, McGonagall wasn't common at all in the wizarding world, wasn't it rather obvious that she was supposed to be related to the Professor?

"You never know. A few years ago we had four Browns in the school, with no one being related to each other." Selina said, when she saw Ginny's furrowed eyebrows she quickly added, "three of them were muggle born, coming from Wales, Scotland and Southern England each, so there were no connection between them at all!"

"Enough about that," Greta interrupted Selina, who apparently was about to go into a rant of some kind. "Tell us about your old school? What does 'a small private institute for foreigners' mean?" She leaned in towards Ginny with curious eyes; most of the other girls followed her movement, making Ginny feel rather self-conscious.

"Well, the school's name is Boisrouge, it's in Belgium close to France. Basically it's a school for English-speaking children in the area. My brothers and I were from Belgium, but there were also kids from France, Italy, Germany and so on. We only talked English at home, because of my dad, so my parents both felt it best for us to go to an English-speaking school but they didn't want to send us all the way to Hogwarts."

"Really? So Boisrouge, is that the only English-speaking school on the continent?" Niobe asked curiously.

"I-ehm, I don't really know. We were rather isolated, but I never heard of another school like Boisrouge."

The girl all nodded simultaneously, making Ginny think of Chinese puppets, the ones that kept on nodding forever and ever, her great aunt Muriel had been very fond of those. It was the only thing muggle that Muriel had accepted and every time Ginny was to visit her she had had to endure her great aunt's lectures about them.

"But tell me about Hogwarts, I'm dead curious! I have heard auntie talk about this school, of course, but she have never told me anything interesting," Ginny said, deciding to change the subject. Two of the girls started giggling at her mention of Professor McGonagall as 'auntie', and in fact Ginny almost wanted to join them, it just felt so surrealistic.

As the girls started telling her everything they could think about when it came to Hogwarts, Ginny let her eyes wander along rows of tables. Further up she could see the Marauder's laughing loudly, making a spectacle of themselves, a few seats down from them she saw the redheaded girl that she suspected was Harry's mother. Next to her sat another girl that seemed very familiar to Ginny, though she couldn't for the life of her place the girl. When she saw no one else that she immediately recognised her eyes moved over to the other tables, taking everyone in. She caught a few people eying her curiously, but most of them turned their eyes away quickly when they found out they had been discovered. When she returned to the company she was in, her eyes met the ones of Elizabeth. The dark girl gave her a small knowing smile, which made the corner of Ginny's lips curl in amusement.

"Ready to head back to the common room?" Greta asked, already rising from her chair, completely confident that the other girls would follow, and so they did.

Ginny blinking rather dumbly for a few moments before she spoke up, "Sure, would you mind waiting for a little bit, I need to go and get my class-schedule from my aunt." The girls nodded good-naturedly and Ginny took up a fast paced walk up to the teachers' table. McGonagall, who had figured out what Ginny's intentions were when she had seen the girl start her walk, handed Ginny her schedule as she reached the table.

"Thank you… aunt," Ginny said, and the elderly woman smiled kindly at her and gestured for her to lean in closer so that only Ginny could hear her words.

"I've handed your papers in to the Ministry this morning, and I got an owl just before the feast that they've gone through, so there's no need for you to worry more about that," she said, Ginny furrowed her brows slightly, she had completely forgotten about her papers. How could she have let something as important like that slip her mind? "The headmaster will expect you at his office tomorrow evening after dinner, to discuss a few things." Ginny nodded with a serious expression on her face. "I hope everything is going well? I must say I am pleased to see you in my house, not that I expected anything else."

Ginny smiled at the proud woman's words, "Yes, it's going swell."

"Just remember the headmasters word, 'lay low, don't draw attention to yourself and do not be open about which side you're on'. We'll talk more tomorrow night."

* * *

><p>The walk up to the tower was rather uneventful, Selina went on and on about who dated who and Ginny couldn't care less but she politely smiled and nodded in all the right places. When they arrived to the Fat Lady, the portrait eyed Ginny suspiciously but after the girls gave her the right password she let them all in.<p>

"Thanks for this evening, I really appreciate it," Ginny started as the girls made way for a place to lounge for the rest of the evening. "But it's been a long day, so I think I'll tuck in for the night. See you tomorrow?"

The girls smiled and wished her a good nights sleep. While walking up the girls' stairs Ginny eyed the room one last time. It was weird; the common room was the same yet it was completely different. The setting was as they were in her time, but they people weren't. It was going to take some time to get used to it all.

She quickly found the door labelled with her name, along with the names of Alice King, Oona Matlock and Althea Capulet. Her roommates had yet to arrive back from the Great Hall so she was completely alone in the dorm. Finding the only bed that wasn't occupied was easy and she found her trunk by the foot of the bed. She had never had a trunk as beautiful as this one; her old one had been second-hand, while this was custom-made with soft leather. Decidedly content with her situation, well as content as she could be expected to be, she flung down on her four-poster bed; enjoying the softness.

She wasn't sure of how long she had been lying there, staring at the ceiling, when the door opened up and four girls walked in. They all stopped in the doorway, looking at her with much interest.

She lifted herself up slightly, putting her weight on her elbows and smiled weakly, "'ello, I'm Ginny."

The first one to react was the redheaded girl Ginny had seen earlier, she walked up to Ginny's bed with her arm out-stretched. "Hi, I'm Lily Evans, Head girl." When Ginny took it she smiled warmly. "We were wondering which year you were in, looks like we know now." Her eyes sparkled with humour.

"Yes, it's fairly obvious," Ginny said dryly with a smile on her lips.

"This is Alice," she gestured towards a blonde girl with a pixie haircut, the one who seemed so familiar. The girl waved at her and smiled. "And this is Oona," the next girl were blonde as well, but not as brightly so as Alice. "And last but not least we have Althea." The last girl was very tall with dark brown hair that reached her waist; she smiled kindly towards Ginny, a gesture that softened her otherwise sharp features.

"Nice to meet you," Ginny smiled at them. She was getting rather sick of meeting new people by now, and her jaw was starting to hurt from all the polite smiling.

Alice, who seemed to be the most social one in the group came up to Ginny's bed and sat down next to her. "So, McGonagall? You're related to the professor?" Alice face was curious and slightly naïve-looking, and that was when it hit her, and hit her it did as she felt it like someone had punched her in the stomach. She knew now where she recognised Alice from: _Neville_. When the blonde girl looked at her like that she was a copy of her friend, and it hurt.

Quickly she collected herself; luckily without anyone noticing her momentarily deep-dive into darkness emotion-wise, she smiled weakly. "Yes, she's my aunt."

"Wicked," the Neville-copy grinned full of triumph, she turned towards the other girls in the room. "Looks like Potter owe me money!"

"You betted on my relations?" Ginny couldn't help the genuine smile that crept up on her lips.

"Yeah, Alice here was certain you were related but James kept on insisting that it was just a coincidence, they almost started a brawl on our way up," Oona said with a grin, she too plumped down on Ginny's bed, causing Ginny's eyebrows to raise up.

"I was right though! So it was worth it! That smug bastard is going to have to pay up this time," she said with a laugh that took all harshness out of the words she spoke, she raise her fist and shook it in a faux-outrage.

Shaking her head at her roommate, Althea locked her eyes with Ginny's. "So, what school did you go on before?"

_Oh, here we go again_, Ginny thought as she repeated the words she told the other girls. _Am I going to have to tell this to everybody I meet here? _When she thought about she realised that, no, probably not. That Selina girl had seemed like a big gossip, so Ginny hoped that she would spread the word about this. _Sometimes they are good to have_, she mused.

* * *

><p>Ginny woke with the sun the next morning, a few hours before classes started, which was very unusual for her, normally she could sleep happily until three in the afternoon if no one woke her up. But considering everything that had happened these last couple of days she felt that she was rightly excused for her behaviour.<p>

She had fallen asleep promptly after the girls had stopped talking the night before, exhausted as she was. That didn't mean that she was particularly well rested, no she still felt rather zombie-like. Sitting up in her bed, she peaked out through her hangings to see if anyone else was up, which wasn't the case. Quietly she made her way through the room to the showers, of course her bed was furthest away from the bathroom, and she had to try to avoid stumbling over her new roommates' things that was spread all over the room. She made a small victory dance when she managed to successfully reach the bathroom without any incidents.

She took her sweet time in the showers washing all the dirt away, not having showered in a few days and now saw how filthy she really was. It was a refreshing feeling, to stand there under the boiling hot water, feeling the burn on her skin. When she finally exited the showers her skin was shining brightly red from the hard scrubbing she had exercised.

After getting dressed in her new uniform and house-colours she took a critical look of herself in the mirror. She felt a little bit like herself again, how she had been before the war, mostly due to her look. The vibrant red had returned to her hair, the war hadn't reached this time yet; the sky hadn't started to cry here. Though she was much paler then she had been before, the lack of sun the past couple of month had made sure of that, and her freckles looked almost non-existents. Something that was still there, as it had been since the battle, was the bags and darkness under her eyes. _Looks like they're here to stay_, she mused.

She wasn't sure of how long she had been in the bathroom; apparently not long enough as the other girls was still soundly asleep in their beds when she emerged. Grabbing her school bag and her needed books she left the dorm.

When she arrived down in the common room the room was next to empty. The only occupant was a young boy, who looked like a first year. He was sitting close to the fire, engrossed in a large book, the size of which Hermione used to consider 'light reading'. She walked up to him, peaking on the book curiously.

"_An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms_, that's rather advanced," she said after gotten a peak on the title.

The boy jumped when hearing her voice and turned around with wide eyes. After just staring at her for a few moments, that made Ginny raise her eyebrows, he stammered, "I-it's my b-brother's. He's a f-fifth year."

Ginny just smiled kindly at the nervous boy and gestured to the empty seat next to him, "You mind of I sit down?"

Still wide-eyed the boy nodded, closing the book slowly as she sat down.

"I'm Ginny, the new girl," she made a self-aware gesture that seemed to calm the nervy boy down a bit. "Your name?"

"J-Josiah Stimpson," he spurted out, stumbling on the words.

"What year are you in?" she asked and flipped the book open to take a look.

"First year, but I'll be twelve in just a few weeks so…" he trailed away.

"And you still understood this book? Wow, that's impressive!" It was now Ginny's turn to widen her eyed as she tore her attentions away from the book and onto the boy, who now blushed fiercely.

"Most of it, I haven't tried any of the spells out yet, most of them are too advanced, but I still like to know the basics," Josiah seemed more confident of himself now and gave her a small smile as he spoke.

"Still, the language in this book is awfully difficult," Ginny smiled broadly at the boy, who seemed to relax more and more the longer they talked. He was somewhat gangly-looking, with russet-coloured hair and brown eyes that seemed to turn a few shades lighter when he smiled. "What are you doing up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep, so I thought I should go down here and wait for my classmates to wake up before heading down for breakfast. I don't really like going on my own."

"Same with me, and you know, I can't really find my way to the Great Hall yet," she smiled bashfully. "Would you like to join me down now?"

"Really?" Josiah asked hopefully as a huge smile appeared on his lips. "You want me to go with you?"

"Why not?" she smiled back.

"Just let me go and get my things!" he jumped up excitedly, grabbed the large book and rushed up the boys' stairs.

Ginny didn't have to wait for long until he came rushing down again with his book bag properly on his back and a huge smile gracing his face. Ginny quickly made sure she had everything she needed with her and the two walked down towards the Great Hall, or well Josiah was almost jumping with excitement around her like a puppy.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Thanks for all the lovely reviews, it means a lot to me that you take the time to write down your thoughts, or even the fact that you enjoy the story. The chapters may take a little longer to get posted from now on, have quite some huge things coming up in my personal life these upcoming weeks and I will be fairly busy, but I will take my time to write this and the chapters will come out!_

_And I know, not much of Sirius in this chapter, but there are a lot of other characters that's being introduced here and some of them will play a fairly big role in the event of things. I have even more characters that will come along later, I mean I haven't even dipped into the other houses and the ones outside of Hogwarts, and no everyone will not play a big role, I just like having a big spectrum to play with._


	5. One Foot

**Chapter 4: One Foot**

Ginny's first day passed her by quickly, and she spent it in something of a haze. Meeting new people in every class, the same introductions over and over. She could hardly remember people's names, only a few, of those few there was one girl in Hufflepuff. Her name was Elinor, Ginny didn't remember her last name, but it had sounded somewhat familiar. She had met the girl outside her Charms class, a class that she shared with said Hufflepuff. Elinor had been the first to come up to her and had more or less latched herself on to Ginny for the rest of the lesson.

This lesson had been just before lunch, and the girl had dragged Ginny with her to the Great Hall and introduced her to her friend Edgar, a boy who's last name Ginny most certainly knew, it was Bones. Susan had mentioned him every now and then when she had talked about her family, he was her uncle, or would be. Not that Susan had met him herself since he died during the first war – _during this war_.

Edgar and Elinor, Elinor and Edgar. They played each other off as if they were an old married couple, or siblings that didn't get out to meet other children very often and when Ginny left them she felt as if her head had been hit in the head by a bludger in her attempt to try and follow their conversation.

The rest of the lunch had gone past peacefully; she had been fished up by Oona, and received a not-very-serious lecture about running off as she had that morning. The afternoon classes passed her by in a similar fashion, except the Elinor-incident, where she met new people and their names and faces flew past her without much notice.

She saw the Marauders, of course she did as she shared a fair share of her classes with at least one of them, but they never approached her. She was rather thankful for that if truth be told, she wasn't completely ready to meet them all yet. _Keep them at a distance Gin, keep them all at a distance, you can do this._

When dinner finally came around her head was rather mushy from it all, and she was thankful when a hand shot out to stop her walk down the Gryffindor table. Looking down she was met with the smiling face of Elizabeth, one of the few people she could remember the name _and_ face of.

"Sit with me," the dark girl said simply with that contagious smile of hers that made Ginny break out in one of her own.

She slid down next to the girl, and to her surprise she wasn't sitting in the middle the group of girls she had been sitting with the day before. Instead the curious eyes of two boys met her.

"Gin, this is my boyfriend Nathan, Nathan Wimple, he's the sixth year prefect," Elizabeth smiled brilliantly at the boy opposite her. He was a pale sort of boy - with bright blonde hair and almost washed-out blue eyes, but his smile was nice and she could see the intelligence in his eyes. He reached his hand out for her to take, which she did of course, and smiled gently.

"And I'm Scott Lufkin, Liza and Nathan's third wheel," the other boy in the group said, gaining her attention and sent her a cheeky smile.

"Nice to meet you all, I'm Ginny, the new girl," Ginny answered with a small smile.

"Oh, we know," Scott said with a wink. "Liza here told us all about you."

"Did not," the girl said and swatted him on his shoulder, before turning towards Ginny, laughing briskly. "Really Gin, I didn't. This tosser can't even differ left from right, so don't you worry."

"Oi!" Scott huffed indignant. "I'll have you know that my brain is exceptional!"

"Exceptionally bad, yes."

As the two bickered, Nathan sent Ginny an excusing look, leaning closer over the table he smiled a somewhat conspiratorially smile. "Sorry about them, though they do give you mindless entertainment, so I usually just let them loose."

"Oi!" Both Elizabeth and Scott cried, after having Elizabeth to stop halfway through a condescending rant towards Scott.

Nathan just sent them a sugary smile that made Ginny's lips purse in an attempt to hide the smile that threatened to break through.

* * *

><p>When she walked out the doors of the Great Hall, after having said her good-byes to Elizabeth and the two boys, she started heading towards the headmaster's office. She turned down a corridor that would lead her up to the seventh floor, she had encountered a shortcut down this corridor in her second year that took her all the way up to the fifth floor and from there it was easy and quick to get up to the headmaster's office.<p>

Finding the right portrait, she greeted it politely, gave the right password, and then set off down the narrow passage that opened up before her. Only, she didn't get very far. Halfway down she collided with something hard, and warm, and soft? Confused she looked up from her sprawled position on the ground to the person she had knocked into, and then knocked herself over. _How very graceful of me, anyone can tell I've survived a war_, she thought dryly.

She couldn't really tell whom she'd bumped into, the passage was badly lit, and whoever it was were standing in the shadows. Though she could tell that the person - or persons? – were as surprised as her.

Both parties just stared at each other, wide-eyed, until someone behind the wall-like person regained his wit and pushed passed his friend.

"Ah, I-ehm, I'm sorry. We didn't expect anyone to be here…" the mystery boy trailed off, it was a boy, of that Ginny was certain now when she heard his voice, but he was as well hidden in the stupid shadows so she couldn't see his face. "You're the new girl, aren't you?"

Ginny nodded dumbly, still squinting her eyes in an attempt to place the few features of the boy in front of her that she could see.

"Oh, sorry. Let me help you, I'm Remus by the way." He leaned closer, his face finally coming into the light as he held his hand out for her, in an offer to help her up.

_Remus_, Ginny thought, still a bit slow in her mind, _Remus… Remus Lupin! Shite that must mean,_ her eyes darted to the forms behind the boy version of her former professor and friend. How many were they? Just one more? Two more, or were they all four of them? _No, no, no, I'm not ready_.

A discreet cough woke her up from her minor panic attack and she stared at the boy in front of her. His face had turned slightly red, why ever would he blush? She tilted her head curiously, when they boy made a discreet head movement towards her, she quickly looked down at herself in her out-sprawled position that she hadn't moved away from. It wasn't that bad, except for the fact that in the fall down her skirt had been hiked up, showing the rim of her knickers.

Ginny's face went instantly scarlet, matching her hair, and her hands went to pull her skirt down. A loud, barking, and very familiar, laugh filled the narrow corridor and the wall-like person she had run into clapped Remus roughly on his shoulder when Ginny accepted his help up.

"Mooney, you sure have a way with the ladies," the boy said, and as he leaned closer, to get a good look at her, she was met with Sirius' dark grey eyes.

"I was not the one who ran into her," Remus answered calmly, though he was still blushing fiercely. Making sure Ginny had both legs on the ground he started to brush the dust she collected from her lie on the ground off of her clothes, an action that made Ginny's already scarlet face go ever redder. _Well this was awkward._

"I didn't ran into her either, I was just standing here, poor innocent me," Sirius said with a smirk.

"Ehm, I'm fine now, thank you," Ginny managed to squeak out in an attempt to stop the awkward brushing that she was sure Remus was just exercising because he didn't know what else to do.

Remus stopped instantly, and his face went even more scarlet. _Quite a nice pair we make_, Ginny thought, _red and redder._ "Oh, sorry."

Sirius gaze darted between the two in an amused dance, and he was just about to open his mouth to say something, probably highly inappropriate, when a loud voice echoed through the corridor. "Oi, what's taking so long, you tossers?"

Before any of the two boys standing next to her had the chance to answer, something, or someone, akin a black cannonball pounded into the two of them, leaving Ginny the last one standing and, yet again, wide-eyed staring at the lump of boys on the ground.

"Gerroff," she heard Sirius muffled voice; he had been the unfortunate one to land bottommost in the pile. With a rough push the black haired boy on top landed on the floor with a loud _thud_, and Remus stood up with as much dignity as someone who had just been knocked over by his friend and then sandwiched could muster. Sirius on the other hand jumped up and swatted the new boy over his head.

"We got company you doofus!" he barked out.

"Company? What? Who?" the black haired boy jumped up as well, spun around facing Ginny and she got face to face with a Harry-copy, minus the scar and with hazel eyes. She breathed in sharply, and could feel herself pale noticeably. Luckily for her, her somewhat off reaction could be blamed by the fact that the Harry-copy had stuck up his face just a few inches from hers and anyone would find that to be uncomfortable.

The boy took a step back, and ran his hand through his hair in a very un-Harry-like sort of way, and then smiled in an even more un-Harry-like sort of way.

"Well, well, so you're the littlest dragon? I owe King five Galleons thank to you," he said with a large grin etched on his face.

When his absurd question reached her ears, she lost all sense of uncertainty; all those hurtful feelings regarding his likeness to Harry disappeared, and instead got replaced by a strong bewildered feeling. "W-what?"

"Yeah, I made a bet with King and then I lost, that hasn't happened in quite awhile I have you know, otherwise I'm the master of bets!" He puffed his chest out, and got once again hit over his head by Sirius who let out that bark-like laugh of his.

"When have you ever won a bet?" Remus added in a slightly condescending tone, but humour was in his eyes that took away any real harshness.

"There was that time in third year," a new voice piped in, with his face hidden in the shadow Ginny couldn't see with her eyes who it was, but she was certain that the newest of the boys had to be Peter Pettigrew. She still wasn't sure what to feel about that boy.

"Oh, that's right Pete," Sirius laughed, which made the Harry-copy's face scrunch grumpily.

"I've won more bets than that! Remember that time last April! I won that!" The Harry-copy said triumphal. "And, then that other time against uncle Angus, and-"

"Wait, wait!" Ginny cut him off, holding her hands up as a white flag of some sort. The Harry-copy turned to her, with his mouth slightly gaping, something that made Sirius snort in amusement. "That was not what I meant." She finished weakly, now having four pairs of eyes glued on her, the boys apparently remembered her existence. "I was just-err about the dragon part…"

The four boys blinked dumbly at her a few moments, then Sirius broke out in a large grin.

"Ah, the dragon business. You see McGonagall, your precious and most beautiful-" Ginny raised her eyebrows to this, which only made Sirius grin grow larger, if that was possible. "-aunt Minnie is here known as the dragon."

"The she-dragon!" The Harry-copy added in, having Peter nod in agreement.

"The she-dragon? Lovely," said Ginny, as her eyebrows furrowed at the silly nickname.

"Yes, that makes you the littlest dragon," Sirius concluded.

"Oh-kay, that's nice, I suppose," Ginny said doubtfully, an action that made Remus smile slightly. "Well, I need to get going, so if you all could maybe give some room." She gestured for the boys to move a bit so she could squeeze by.

"Ah, not so fast, little red," Sirius said, successfully blocking the way for her. "We haven't even introduced us yet, except for Remus, but it's widely known that he is the only one with manners here."

He grinned arrogantly at Ginny's raised eyebrows; sighing heavily she moved her weight to her left foot and looked at him pointedly. "Well?"

"Well what?" Sirius said, looking confused.

"With the introductions, you know the reason why you won't let me pass," said Ginny deadpanned, casting a quick look at the other boys she saw that Remus had a very hard time keeping a straight face.

"Right! We all know you're Ginevra McGonagall, fair Minnie-poo's niece," said Sirius, chuckling at Ginny's snort.

"It's Ginny, I go by Ginny," she said. "Have you been talking to Selina?" She really did wonder if she had been right about her assumption about the girl earlier.

"Eh, maybe?" Sirius grinned. _So I was right, the girl is a gossip_, she thought, _less work for me then._ "Anyway, _Ginny_, I'm Sirius Black, it's always lovely to make new acquaintances with fair ladies as yourself."

Ginny's only reaction to his smouldering was yet again to raise her eyebrows, which made Sirius pout a little.

"Anyway," he continued. "This one is Peter Pettigrew," he slammed on hand on Peter's shoulder, something that must've hurt judging of Peter's reaction. "And this pompous git is James Potter."

He pointed at the Harry-copy, who let out an indignant _humprf_. "I'm not pompous, I have you know. Just because I'm Headboy doesn't make me my head bloated. Oh, right, I'm Headboy," he said turning to Ginny with a brilliant smile, shaking her hand enthusiastically. "Welcome to Hogwarts!"

"A bit late for that, don't you think?" Remus asked his ravenet friend.

"Well, it was lovely to meet you all… I think. I should really-" Ginny said but got interrupted by James.

"Yeah, where _are_ you going? And how did you know about this passage?" The complete one-eighty threw her off a bit, and the look in his eyes now where not far from the look she had seen in his mother's the day before.

"Where I-where I'm going? I'm on my way to the Headmaster, so I need to go through here," she said weakly. Were they ever going to let her pass?

"In trouble already?" Sirius said, grinning unashamedly.

"No, just to look over some technicalities." She shot him an irritated look.

"But how do you know of this passage then?" James asked again, still with that stupid look in his eyes. Like he knew something, or at least suspected that something was up.

She shot him an irritated look as well before answering. "I asked the portraits. Can you just please let me pass now, I'm dead tired and the visit to the Headmaster is probably going to take awhile. I just want to go there, get it over with and go to bed. So please, can you move?" She was starting to feel a bit exasperated by the end of it, she had not been ready for the Marauders yet, and she did not like to go into battles unprepared. Not that this was a battle, per se, but in ways it felt like it.

"Oh, yes, of course. Sorry," James rubbed his neck and smiled at her bashfully while moved to the side. He then took a firm grip of Sirius and yanked him with him so Ginny could get past. Hurriedly, before they decided to block her again, she passed them.

Before she disappeared completely in to the shadows, she turned around and gave them a small smile, "Thanks, I suppose. I guess I see you all later." When they all looked at her with confusion in their eyes, she sighed and pointed at her tie. "Go Gryffindor!" Before she continued her walk with a quick pace.

* * *

><p>"Miss McGonagall, I hope your first day went by pleasantly?" Professor Dumbledore asked, when Ginny took her seat by his large desk.<p>

"Yes, sir, it was an all around nice day," she answered, wringing slightly in the chair in an attempt to find a comfortable position. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

"Ah, brilliant. The first day in school can sometimes be a bit nerve-wracking," he said, looking at her with calm eyes. Ginny couldn't help but to furrow her eyebrows, had he asked her up here only to talk about her day? "Then again, you've already been through all this before and I believe that takes away little of the excitement."

"I suppose, yes."

"Good, good," he said, with a thoughtful look in his eyes. When he spoke next there was a seriousness in his voice that had been missing before, "now, the biggest question here is: do you have the box in a safe place?"

Ginny paused to recall where she had put the box exactly. "Yes, it's in my trunk."

"Good, that'll do for now," he said only to be met with her confused expression. "It is of great importance that you keep the box safe, and hidden from prying eyes."

"Oh, okay. Err, sir, why is that?" She still felt a tad bewildered, she understood the box's importance in getting her to this time, but what was it needed for now?"

"Time, Ginevra, is a very complex thing. It moves and flows however it wants and don't like it when people meddle. When people do, time has a way of fixing itself. Merely travel back in time wouldn't do you any good, time would make sure that whatever you do was suppose to happen, or erase you from the timeline. That's where the box's importance comes in. You see, travelling back in time to change the future as you've done, and as far as you have, it would create a paradox. The box holds this paradox and allow you to exists even though you shouldn't."

Ginny sat in silence, taking it all in. The box held her life? She needed the box to exist? "What would happen if the box would break?" She asked, pulling her lower lip in between her teeth in a nervous manner.

"Ah, that's the question, isn't it? What we know is that you would cease to exist. What exactly happens to you, no one knows. Most papers suggest that you would be sucked into the Void. Because you cannot go on if you don't exist, but yet you do live."

She drew her breath in sharply, making a hissing sound. That it would be complications in travelling so far back she had suspected, but she hadn't thought it would involve her having to keep a little box safe from any harm. She was going to have to hide it, but where?

"Is there-err is there anything else that I would need to know about my existence in this time?" She asked, every word a struggle, but she met the headmasters eyes as calmly as she could while her head was going overdrive.

"About your existence? No, I think we've covered most of it; at least what concerns the box." He took a pause, looking her over, making Ginny feel as if he was sizing her up. "I have plans," he said slowly, yet again he had that thoughtful look in his eyes, "to include you in the Order. You do know of it I take?" Ginny nodded stiffly. "Yes, of course you do, dear. You will come with Minerva and me to the next meeting this weekend. For you to be able to change what needs to be changed in this timeline, you need to know what is going on, and the Order is the best place for that. We don't normally include those still in school, as you sure are aware of, but you are over seventeen and this is a special case one might say.

"Now, Ginevra, I need you to tell me everything I need to know about your timeline. Every big event, and the small ones too that could be of importance. Most importantly I need you to tell me where it all went wrong. Shall we have any chance at changing things we need to figure out where to start."

She sat quiet at first, looking at him with an apprehensive look on her face. She wasn't completely sure how much she should tell him, yet she felt as if she should tell him all she knows. Even though she knew that Dumbledore couldn't fix everything and that he could be a tad manipulating, she also knew that it was better to have the headmaster on her side than not. He had access to information, places and knowledge that she didn't.

Having thought this over she started to tell him, and she told him most of what she knew. From the prophecy, to the chamber, to the final battle, she told him. All the while, Dumbledore didn't even bat an eyelash; he just sat there, with his eyes glued on her.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Sorry for taking so long to update. These last couple of weeks have been crazy busy for me, and the upcoming ones will not be better. I'm moving back to my home country in about two weeks after having spent a year away, and after that I will spend about a week travelling. But I will try to update as soon as I can!_

_I'm not very satisfied with this chapter, to tell you the truth, but I wanted to update this fic and I just didn't have much inspiration for this time. I'm further ahead in this story in my head than I am on paper, so sometimes it's a bit hard to concentrate on where I really am, and not were I sometimes think I am. _

_I know I didn't wrote exactly what Ginny told Dumbledore, but truth be told we already know all of that stuff from the books and it was just so borign to write that all again. Sure, Ginny doesn't know everything, but she knows more than you would think and how much more, and more importantly_ how_ she knows,__ will be explained further on in upcoming chapters. It just didn't fit were we are in the story to include that scene yet. But it will come and I actually have that one already written down. _

_And again, thank you all for the lovely reviews, they mean a lot to me and give me more motivation for this story. I try to answer all of your reviews, but I am a very confused and forgetful person, so if I've missed to reply to you then I am deeply sorry! As I said, I do appreciate them a lot!_


	6. Sorrow Found Me When I Was Young

**Chapter 5: Sorrow Found Me When I Was Young**

_Boom._

She could smell the blood in the air, a sickly sweet iron smell that made her stomach turn. The icing scream a few corridors down told her that yet another had fallen - was it anyone from her side or was it an enemy? She didn't dare poke her head out to find out, it was cowardly of her and very un-Gryffindor but she couldn't bring herself to risk it. It was probably the enemy; it _had_ to be one of the enemies.

_Boom._

Another scream, the high pitches of it made Ginny's blood turn cold - another one had fallen. _Please tell me it's the enemy,_ she begged silently. This one was closer, closer to where she was hiding. She closed her eyes shut, with the smell of iron overwhelming her still; it was mixed with something else now, something heavier - something deadlier.

_Boom._

The running footsteps - that before had been distant - was now right outside her hiding spot. Running fast first, turning around, and slowly walking back. Ginny held her breath as the steps stopped. In the small slit under the door - where the little light that lit up the room she was huddling in came from - she could see the outlines of two feet standing still right outside the door, blocking the light.

_Boom._

She swallowed heavily as the handle got pushed down. This was it, she was sure. There was no way she was going to survive this; her wand was gone, lost earlier in the chaos, which left her with no way of defending herself. Even if she would've had it she didn't had the wit about her to remember any useful spells, her mind was completely blank. Standing pressed against the furthest away wall, she saw the door pushed open. A pair of black, gleeful eyes met hers, and a wicked smile was on his lips. _This is it._

_Boom._

* * *

><p>With a bolt Ginny's eyes flew open, desperately she flew her hands out, feeling the bed around her. Susan wasn't there. <em>She was alone.<em> She sighed heavily, hugging herself as she shut her eyes tight. Susan hadn't been _there_ in almost two months now, why was it always so hard to remember that? Susan wasn't going to be there ever again. She wasn't going to hug Ginny close, resting her nose in the crook of Ginny's neck, whispering soothing words in her ears.

This was her first nightmare in awhile, and the first in this time period. The dreams, they were always about some past happening - real enough for her to believe them yet disfigured and deceptive enough to make her heart speed up and her palms to sweat, to make her search for comfort, to make her weak. If it was something Ginny didn't like being then it was weak.

And this dream, it was somehow different than they usually were. She didn't delude herself to believe that this was anything but a dream, yet there was something different about it. Something definitely eerie about the dream sequence, and unfeigned. She knew those eyes, she had seen them before, of that she was sure. Placing them however was something she couldn't. Where had she seen them? Who did they belong to? It was questions she couldn't seem to have answers to.

Breathing heavily she laid in her bed, completely still for a few moments, waiting for her heart to slow down. It was early still, for the sun had yet to rise. After a few moments the beat of her heart had slowed down and was almost back to normal. She threw the duvet aside, the cold air hitting her body made her gasp in shock, but it was a welcoming feeling.

Quickly she got dressed and moments later she found herself sitting in the Common Room at the same place she had found Josiah a few mornings ago. She had been here - in the past - for a couple of days now, and in ways it felt like she had always been here - in the seventies. At the same time, however, it felt as if she would never be a part of this time - of this world. She supposed the last one was the true one, she had no idea what she would do once the war was over, _if_ it ever ended. She had lived in war for such a long time that peace seemed almost alien.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who can't seem to sleep for very long?" A familiar voice said, and Ginny's eyes shot up and was met with Josiah's brown ones. He smiled tentatively as he reached where she was sitting, and his smile grew as she beamed back.

"Looks like it. You know," she said as she sent him a shrewd look and he watched her nervously when the smile on her lips turned mischievous. "We should do something different this morning."

"Different how?" The small boy asked reluctantly.

"We should go flying," she said, her eyes growing big with excitement.

"F-flying?" Josiah's eyes had grown big as well, but of completely different reasons. "I'm not allowed to do that, I'm just a first year."

"You've had your flying lesson right?" she asked patiently and Josiah nodded as his eyes flickered around the room. "Then you can go flying with me, you're just not allowed to join the Quidditch team." At least she thought that was true, it didn't really matter as long as they didn't get caught. "Come on, please?" She fell to her knees in front of the small boy, taking both his hands in hers and looked up at him with big, pleading eyes. "Pretty please?"

"I-ehm, I'm not very good," he admitted reluctantly. "But I suppose we could go for a little while. The rest of the castle won't really be up for a few hours anyway."

"Thank you!" Ginny flew her arms around him, giving him a quick hug. "Wait here, I'll get my broom. Do you have one? We can always borrow from the school otherwise."

* * *

><p>"I'm not sure about this, Gin, I wasn't very good at it during the lesson," Josiah said nervously, clutching the broom handle like it was his lifeline. Standing on the ground, with both legs on each side of the tattered broom Ginny had borrowed - or more taken from the School's broom closet and hoping no one would notice - for him, he was preparing to lift off the ground.<p>

"You can, and it'll be fun once you get a hang of it, I promise. You can't be brilliant at everything the first time you try it you know," Ginny answered with an affectionate smile from where she was standing a few feet away from him. She hadn't lifted yet, as she was waiting for him to get started first.

"Okay- yes, I suppose," he gulped nervously. "So, I just kick off the ground now and it will lift?"

"Exactly, and I'll be close to you the entire time, so if you would fall I'll catch you, though I highly doubt that'll happen." She smiled reassuringly to the boy next to her.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes shut. "Here we go," he mumbled and kicked off, clutching the broom even more fiercely than before as he lifted off the ground.

Ginny gave out a celebratory laughter, to which Josiah opened his eyes slowly. He was now hovering a few feet over the ground, when he saw this and when he felt that he had somewhat control over what he was doing he relaxed slightly. Looking down at the redheaded girl next to him, he asked, "and now what?"

"Now we fly," she said, beaming brightly.

* * *

><p>"Where were you this morning?" Alice asked. The two girls were currently replanting bubotuber, much to Ginny's displeasure. When finding a pair for the day's lesson Alice had screamed across the entire greenhouse that she was to be with Ginny, then dragged her off only to immediately inquire about her morning whereabouts. Luckily for Ginny Alice was rather talented in herbology so she wasn't complaining too much about the arrangement.<p>

"I was with Josiah, none of us could sleep so we decided to make the time pass together," she answered, slightly absently since she was at that precise moment holding a fairly large bubotuber and even though she was wearing dragon-hide gloves she didn't want to take any unnecessary risks and get the pus on her own skin.

"Josiah? Is that one of the first years?" Alice patted the soil around, to make room for the plant that Ginny carefully lowered.

"Mmhmm," was all Ginny found time to answer, carefully the two girls patted the soil back around the odd-looking plant, which wriggled pleasurably. The two girls looked at each other and burst into laughter, one they tried to muffle with their hands – which was inconveniently covered with dragon-hide gloves - as to not disturb the plant.

"Are they supposed to do that?" Ginny managed to squeak out through her laughter and her gloves-covered hands.

Alice took her time to answer, as she was trying to stop laughing, but after a few moments she managed to say, "I don't know," before falling into another fit of laughter.

Calming down slightly, after having received a stern look from their Herbology Professor, Alice leaned in towards Ginny. "So, tonight," she said, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "Are you joining us?"

"Join you for what?" Her brows furrowed slightly in confusion.

"In the Head's dorm," her blonde friend said, as it was the most obvious thing in the world, and perhaps for her it was but to Ginny it was quickly turning into a bigger enigma than the whereabouts of the Merlin Chronicles.

"What's happening in the Head's dorm?"

At Ginny's continued confusion, Alice frowned a little. A scrutinizing gaze fell upon the redhead, making her feel oddly exposed. "You really don't know, do you?" she asked, and at Ginny's pointed stare she sighed. "Sorry, I suppose I forgot how new you were. James invited us all in to dedicate the Head's dorm tonight, much to Lily's displeasure," she chuckled slightly before continuing. "There was no time last weekend, due to the Quidditch tryouts, nor the weekend before that. Sirius and Peter managed to get into detention their first day and had to sit it through during the whole weekend. So that leaves tonight, you think you want to come?"

The pixie-like girl beamed, excitement written all over her face. Despite all that, Ginny could feel dread creeping up on her. A whole evening, together with the people that made her remember everything she had lost in the war. She wasn't ready for that, even if she had had the time, which she didn't have. Tonight was the meeting with the Order, and even though the prospect of it had stressed her out earlier in the week she was now grateful to have a reason to say no to Alice - puppy-eyes and all.

"I would've loved to," Ginny began. _Liar, liar pants on fire_, that annoying voice chanted in her head. "But my aunt wants to spend time with me tonight. Some other time?"

The disappointment was evident on the young girl's face, but she nodded anyway. "Fine, but the next time you're coming, even if I have to drag you there myself," she said, laughing quietly and received a uncertain smile in return.

* * *

><p>"Ah, miss McGonagall, just in time as predicted," the Headmaster said when Ginny entered his office that Friday night. It was just after dinner, and with the help from Alice she managed to sneak away from the horde of girls that had decided that this night was a perfect night for a girls' night. It wasn't that Ginny usually didn't enjoy those nights, but she didn't want to have them here – with <em>these<em> people – and she didn't have the time, obviously. "Now, we are just waiting for Minerva to join us before we leave for the meeting. Lemon drop?"

A soft smile graced Ginny's lips and she shook her head. Of all the times she had been offered a sweet from the Headmaster she didn't think she had ever actually taken one. _Had anyone really ever taken one? Well Ron would've,_ she thought.

"It would not look good for the rest of the school to see a student leave the grounds tonight, therefore Minerva and I have decided to dillusion you. Once in Hogsmead we'll apparate to the Order's headquarters. Since you've never been you'll be side-along apparating with Minerva, then later on you can do the journey yourself," the Headmaster informed her.

Ginny gave him a silent nod, just as McGonagall entered the office. "Everything is ready," the stern woman said, when her eyes landed on Ginny she gave the girl a small smile.

"Well then, Miss McGonagall," the Headmaster said as he turned towards her, his blue eyes twinkling. "Shall we?"

Having a Dillusionment charm cast over you was a very odd experience, Ginny decided. She shuddered as the cold feeling travelled down her body, and she couldn't help but stare at her hands in fascination as the spell covered them and they took the appearance of what was behind her.

Looking up she met Professor Dumbledore's eyes; he looked quite satisfied with his work. "Let us leave then," he said, guided the two ladies away from the school.

The trio passed the gates of Hogwarts, continuing down towards Hogsmead.

It wasn't a very nice night by anybody's standards. The cold air danced between the housings in the village and kept hitting Ginny in the face mercilessly as she walked between the Professors, one now her aunt. There were no stars to be seen this night either, as clouds hugged the night sky, shielding them from ground-bound view, only the moon could be seen through. It crept slowly towards becoming half, leaving it's full form behind.

Though none of this really registered for Ginny. She merely hugged George's sweater closer to her body. It may not have been the smartest item of clothing to wear, the sweater that is, as it made her look frail and quite pitiful. Not exactly mature and strong enough to join the Order – but she needed the security the sweater gave her.

They passed the familiar shops in the small village, all closed up for the night, and they passed the Three Broomsticks and the Hog's Head. The two Professors nodded in greeting every once in awhile as they passed a familiar face. They didn't stop until they reached the outskirts of the village.

"Ready dear," McGonagall asked Ginny gently. After receiving a short nod in answer the older woman took a hold of the redheaded girl's arm, with a _crack _they were gone and left nothing but silence behind.

* * *

><p>The Headquarters in itself wasn't particularly remarkable; it wasn't like Grimmauld Place had been – with the eerie feeling of dark magic and past grandeur. No this was nothing but a small cottage, hidden from view in the middle of the forest with the false sense of security housings like that gives you. The murky décor inside, along with the wooden panels on the walls, made Ginny feel oddly comfortable – but still, it was like visiting someone's grandmother.<p>

Her curious eyes wandered around the room, as she sat squished between McGonagall and a blonde, lanky woman. There were just a few people in the small area, about ten or so, and Ginny sincerely hoped these weren't the only ones in the Order. They all looked so young, and inexperienced, except her "aunt" and Dumbledore, and of course Mad-Eye – he kept sending her shrewd looks, making it obvious that he felt that she belonged in the first category. Stubbornly she stared back, refusing to back down.

She'd been sitting, staring, for a few minutes when the door opened again - for the last time - and a familiar face stepped in. She was still as beautiful as she had been the first time Ginny had met her. Perhaps she was even more radiant this time than before? No matter, Ginny broke eye contact with Mad-Eye and swallowed nervously as Mrs Potter made her way towards her.

With a familiarity that only her mother and a selected few had approached her with before, the elder woman kissed her once on each cheek and fussed over her until Ginny's face was coloured scarlet. Sitting down next to Professor McGonagall, she looked promptly at the Headmaster – waiting.

"Everyone's here, brilliant," Dumbledore said, as he rose from his seat in the other end of the room. His eyes swept over the group, and lingered slightly by Ginny. It passed over his face so quickly that Ginny almost missed it, but he gave a small reassuring smile before his eyes travelled away from her.

Feeling a little bit better of the situation at large – because really, they were going to eat her alive – she shifted slightly, and fiddled with Luna's bracelet out of habit.

Luna had given her the bracelet on her sixteenth birthday, had worked on it the entire summer she had said. No matter if Ginny actually believed her, Ginny cherished it immensely. It was rather odd-looking she supposed, everything Luna made had been odd-looking. Like that necklace out of Butterbeer-corks she used to wear, or those radish-earrings she loved so much. _Friends, friends, friends._ That's what was written all over the bracelet, in Luna's quirky writing. _Friends_ - Luna, Ginny and Neville – over and over.

"But she's just a little girl, Albus," someone interrupted her musings. Looking up, she was met with most of the room's populace's eyes on her. _Shite, what did I miss? _

"Now, now Benjy. I do not induct new members in the Order lightly; so do not think that my decision to let miss McGonagall in while she's still in school is just a whim of mine. She's proven herself capable, to both Professor McGonagall and me. If you trust my judgement, then you'll trust me when I say that miss McGonagall here is both competent and mature enough for this."

The Headmaster's voices travelled through the room with great strength, and there was an edge in it that was rarely present, as it reached Ginny, making it obvious, if it hadn't been before, that she was the centre of the conversation.

She shifted self-consciously, and as she did so the blonde girl sitting next to her caught her eyes. She sent Ginny a sly grin as she leaned in.

"I don't think there's been this much ado about a new member, like ever," she whispered, eyes gleaming excitedly. "I'm Marlene by the way."

"Err-hi," she whispered back, her voice slightly trembling due to the nervousness that had fallen over her.

"Quite the spectacle you are," said Marlene with a wink, before turning her attention back to the Headmaster and who else objected Ginny's presence.

"It's not that we do not trust you, of course we do. But she's still in school; she's just a student. No matter what you say it will not change the fact that she's too young," an elderly wizard said, sounding quite exasperated while the Headmaster merely sat there, looking serene and without worries.

"It's not just that, but she's not experienced enough," a young girl said. She didn't look much older than Ginny herself, which made her raise her eyebrows. Really, what did she have to say? "She looks like a third-year for Merlin's sake!"

"Okay, enough already!" Ginny proclaimed, a bit too loudly – of course. But really, a third-year? She was offended now, truly she was. "No matter what, I am still of age, and I may not look it, but I know what I'm doing! Believe me when I say, that you will need my help if you ever wish to win this war against Voldemort-" A shudder travelled through the room to Ginny's annoyance. "- and come on! You can't even hear the name and you are clanking down on me? I am not ignorant, I'm perfectly aware of what being in the Order may acquire from me. I know the costs and I am willing to make them, that's why I'm here anyway."

With a huff she sat down - somewhere in her rant she had rose from her chair to glare at all and everyone - and crossed her arms.

An approving noise interrupted the silence that had fallen upon the room after Ginny's outburst. "Go Ginny!" Marlene threw her head back laughing loudly while clapping her hands. "Oh, come on. She's only a year younger than Frank over there-" She gestured towards a tall, gangly boy in the other side of the room, who had been quiet all evening. –"and he's doing alright I should say. The only thing you can complain bout is that in battle she'll probably stick out like crazy because of her hair. If Dumbledore says she can do it, than I trust him, so should all of you.

"I really despise what you said about me, you know," The boy named Frank said seriously. Though the smile that broke out a few moments later rather ruined the effect.

"Aw, don't pout Longbottom, your day will come one day too," Marlene laughed back.

_Longbottom, so this is Neville's dad,_ Ginny thought as she studied the boy curiously. The relation wasn't as obvious as the one between Alice and Neville, but there was definitely some Neville in him. They did have the same colours, and both looked quite out of place with their environment.

"Now, when that's settled, let move on with the meeting shall we?" Dumbledore said, his voice left no room for more complaints. Ginny let her eyes pass through the room, daring anyone to say something. When they met Marlene's peal coloured ones, the girl sent Ginny a smug smile.

* * *

><p>When the meeting was done and over with, the Headmaster lingered in the room, along with Professor McGonagall and Mad-Eye Moody. That left Ginny behind with them, after Marlene sent her a sparkling smile and Mrs Potter had kissed her cheeks again, making her promise to stop by whenever she had the time. Apparently their house was quite the vision, and Mrs Potter – "please call me Dorea, pet." – wanted to show her the grounds, she had been working on her garden a lot the last couple of years and it was to die for.<p>

When they were finally alone, the Headmaster waved her closer. "This is Alastor Moody, Alastor this is Minerva's niece Ginevra, as you well know. She's the girl I've been talking about," he said, looking grave.

"Is she? Does she have what it takes then?" Moody asked, looking at her curiously. Fighting the childish reaction of stomping her foot when being ignored Ginny met his gaze. She didn't like the way they talked over her head, as if she wasn't there when clearly they were all aware of the fact, but she held her tongue. No use making them change their minds regarding her maturity. This was no time to burn down her only sailing ship, not after the major victory she had won before.

"That's of no matter. It is of great importance that she learns this, failure is not of question." Dumbledore looked intently at Moody, never once did he waver, though Moody's never once left Ginny, who glared back as she had done before. "You can do it then?"

"Is that so," Mad-Eye said slowly, his gaze finally left Ginny only to land of Dumbledore. "Then yes, and we better get started."

"Better get started on what exactly?" Ginny asked, her patience only ran that deep after all.

"Occlumency, Ginny." McGonagall said, a sad smile grazed her features. "You need to learn how to shield your mind."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Yet again I apologise for the long wait. Since the last chapter I have moved back home to my home country from London, travelled around my country visiting old friends and then moved out of the apartment I used to live in to a house. The time has simply not been on my side._

_But here it is, I hope you enjoy it. I had a lot of problems with the pacing in this chapter, and I am still not completely happy with it, but I got too sick and tired to stare at it._

_And as always, thanks for all the lovely reviews! They are most appreciated!_


	7. Why Am I The One?

**Chapter 6: Why Am I The One?**

She wasn't exactly sure how she had ended up in this situation. She blamed the squishy state of her brain – after all the Legilimens attacks no one could ask of her to think straight, really – and the pathetic state of his being. She just didn't have the heart to say no when he had asked her. The worst thing about it all? She couldn't even say she regretted it, or didn't like it. Because she kind of did, like it that is.

So now, she was sitting in the Common Room, in the dead of night, opposite of the boy who had brought so much pain to the people she cared about and played a game of Wizards Chess. Peter had been slumbering by the out-put fire when she had arrived back form the meeting with the Order. She was a bit out of it – really - and the boy had woken and asked her to join him for a cup of hot cocoa and a game of Wizards Chess. And she had said _yes_.

The light in his eyes when she had agreed reminded her of the one she had seen in Josiah's when she had asked him to join her for breakfast. There was something ridiculously simple about the two boys' joy, a fact she liked. There were a few things that were simple right now.

He didn't talk much; Peter, only smiled happily whenever she said something. As if the fact the she willingly talked to him meant the world – or at least a great deal. Or maybe it wasn't that he didn't talk much, perhaps more that he didn't instigate a conversation. For once she had started a discussion, he more than happily joined in. Feebly at first, but growing stronger once he realised she wasn't going to chastise him.

The game didn't go very well for her, she could hardly concentrate – Ron would be ashamed of her. The hot cocoa had been marvellous though, and made wonders for her head. She was finally starting to realise Professor Lupin's obsession with chocolate – it was divine when you were feeling mushy.

She hadn't been very good at Occlumency, not that she had been horrible - like Harry. The thought of Harry made her sigh wistfully, her eyes stuck on the board. It was almost like the war – chess. They were all players in this game, controlled by an upper hand, and sacrifices had to be made in order for a victory in the end.

That was just the problem, she didn't know what sacrifices they would have to make and that made her feel so uneasy.

"Sirius thought it would be hysterical, that's why he wanted me to do it," the colourless boy said. "Professor McGonagall-err your aunt? - didn't find it so, she was livid. Then of course James got miffed when we could dedicate the dorm that weekend – he had been planning it ever since he got the letter."

"Your problem," she said, eyeing him critically. She couldn't help but to feel pity for him, and kind of- kind of like him. She had never actually met Pettigrew back in her time, only heard stories from her friends about how he looked and what he had done. And of course she had met him as Scabbers.

It still unsettled her a bit, thinking about it. He had probably seen her naked, not that she had had a very impressive body back then - in all her twelve year-old, and below, glory. Still, it was creepy. "-is that you're getting caught. You need to become more discreet about things, and maybe not set off dungbombs in public? You're doing a prank again soon, aren't you? You and your friends?"

"Yeah, James managed to get hold of some Filibusters, they want to set them off tomorrow some time. Probably going to get detention for that too. Hopefully it's not with Filch again, he gives the worst ones!" Peter said, only quickly looking up at her once, before returning his attention to the game.

They fell silent for a moment, as Ginny warily decided to move her knight – really she was getting slaughtered in this game. Peter sure could give Ron a run for his Galleons. Looking up at him, he had that ridiculous look upon him again. With a dramatic sigh, she started talking.

"When I was up on the seventh floor a few days ago, I found a garbage chute, apparently it has openings on every floor – I did check. If you were to open them all up, you would be able to set the fireworks off in the one on the seventh floor and they would happen upon every floor. No one would be able to figure out where it came from, so the risk for being caught would be minimal."

Wide-eyed Peter looked at her, his mouth slightly opened. "Really?" he said in an incredulous voice.

"Yes, really," Ginny said, grinning sleepily at his expression. She really needed to get to bed soon. Her eyes were all sandy and even though the hot cocoa had perked her up a bit the long hours of the day was creeping up on her – and she really sucked at chess at the moment. "Could we finish this game tomorrow after dinner? If I don't go to bed soon, I will not get up at all tomorrow."

"Oh, yes of course. Thanks for playing with me," he said in a timid voice.

"My pleasure, and we keep playing tomorrow. I need a rematch when I'm not completely wrecked."

* * *

><p>She hadn't thought she had been away from her dorm that long, only a kick de-tour down to the kitchen, since she had managed to sleep past breakfast. Honestly though, wasn't the weekend there for you to be able to sleep past the ungodly hours?<p>

But when she came back, less than thirty minutes later, it looked as if a bomb had erupted in their dorm.

"Merlin, I had no idea that the main battlefield in the world war was placed right in our dormitory. Had I known I would've asked Dumbledore to be placed with the sixth years," she said dryly, eyeing the mess.

A loud laugh erupted from the bed next to her, where Alice had taken sanctuary – hidden wrapped in her duvet, with an odd leg and arm poking out. In the middle of the floor Lily was sitting, beet red in the face and with something akin panic in her eyes. Clothes were strewn everywhere – Oona was more or less covered in it. The only one who seemed unaffected by the chaos was Althea – reading on her bed, with no care in the world.

"Ginny!" Lily exclaimed, trying to stand and failing miserably. After a brief wrestle match with the most evil of sweaters she hurried up to Ginny. "Thank God you're here!"

The way the girl clung to her, Ginny would've almost believed something dreadful had happened, if it wasn't for the amused looks on Alice's and Oona's faces.

"Lily-flower here," Oona begun in a singsong voice, receiving a glare from the redhead that was still mauling Ginny, "have a bit of a problem. She simply cannot find a fitting outfit to wear when she'll meet up with the most dashingly dashing of knights later tonight, that she loves oh-so very much."

"I don't love him!" Lily screeched.

"Sure you don't," was the reply she got. "Anyway, she has gone through all of our wardrobes ten-times, cursed the bloody Potter boy more than I can remember and, as you so delicately put it, turned our dorm into a battlefield. Don't know what you're so testy about," Oona said while looking at the indignant redhead. "You're not meeting James until nine tonight, you have plenty of time."

Ignoring the dark blonde girl, Lily turned back to Ginny. Lily had thankfully stopped her mauling and now only looked pleadingly at her.

"Please, please say you have something for me to borrow!"

"Knock yourself out," Ginny said with a snicker. She made a hand gesture towards her trunk, it wasn't too messy – most things were actually neatly folded.

"Thank you!" Lily almost screamed and crushed her again before attacking her trunk with much enthusiasm.

Letting her gaze travel through the room, her eyes filled with mirth, Ginny started towards Althea's bed. Sitting down at the end of it, she eyed the books and scrolls curiously.

"What are you reading?" she asked, when it was clear to her that whatever Althea had going on, it wasn't schoolwork.

The dark-haired girl looked up at her briefly, before turning her gaze back to her texts. "Research."

"Mind if I look?"

Taking Althea's shrug of indifferent as an invite she grabbed one of the scrolls. The text was very hard to read, as it was cramped together and the scroll was covered in inc-stains. It wasn't impossible though.

'_The Dark Mages of Carpathians'_, she could interpret the title to be. A sentence caught her eyes as she continued to read the text, making an uneasy feeling creep up on her.

_'The Dark Mages has their own magic - Old Magic, Green Magic – none of those correct, yet they are closer to describe the Mages magic than anything else.'_

More sentences flew past her eyes, all about the mages and their magic. Magic that wasn't magic. How they could set cruses on you, unbreakable ones, how they could see with their third eye, how they could create instruments – instruments that… that…

She broke her gaze away from the scroll, meeting Althea's intense stare.

_'Instruments that embodies ancient magic.'_

Had the girl been watching her the entire time? Why had she been watching?

The silence between the two girls – and Althea's fixed stare – became too much for her. "I-" she started, but got interrupted by the sense of reality that washed over the two as Lily voice penetrated their bubble.

"Oh, this is such a lovely box? It's a musical one, right? Does it work?"

Dumbfounded Ginny stared at the redhead, after breaking away from Althea. She could barely comprehend the sight in front of her, Lily holding onto the time-travelling box, gazing at it lovingly – fingering on the handle.

_'These boxes are filled with very old magic.'_

Breaking loose from the spell, she darted across the room and snatched the box away from Lily. The Headgirl just stared at her, with wide and surprised eyes.

"No, it's, err- it's broken," she mumbled quickly, as she looked around. The other two girls in the room had stopped to look at her curiously as well.

"I-ehm, I need to go. You can borrow whatever you like," she said before she darted out of the room, holding the box closely to her chest, and left three bewildered girls and an unreadable one behind.

What had she been thinking? Just leaving the box in her trunk like that? Wasn't this object – this box? – the most important item for her? Oh Circe, she sure was going mad. _Do I want to fail before I've even started?_

Rushing down the stairs, she stumbled when she reached the bottom one as her left foot just about missed the step and landed on the floor with a thud.

_'It is of great importance that you keep the box safe, and hidden from prying eyes.'_

"Oi, Littlest Dragon, someone's in a hurry?" she heard an all too familiar voice say, not far from where she was standing – feeling like a deer caught in a headlight, she turned and met the steely grey of Sirius.

"Err- yes, I-ehm, I need to go," was all she managed to say, yet she stood rooted were she had landed. _Deep breathes, Ginny, deep breathes._

"Are you ok?" she heard Remus ask her, his voice full of concern. _Stupid, stupid, stupid,_ she berated herself.

"Yes, I need to go… as I said," she quickly turned away form the four boys and headed towards the portrait, leaving them behind. James with his stupid knowing look, Remus with his concern, Peter with his sincerity and Sirius, well Sirius and that unnerving piercing gaze he had.

_'You would cease to exist.'_

She hurried down the corridor, into a secret passage. When there, Ginny leaned her forehead onto the cold stonewall, breathing heavily. She had made such a bigger deal about this than it should've been, then anyone else knew it was. _Way to lie low, Ginny._

"Damn that box to hell," she muttered, the rugged texture of the stones scraped her forehead a little. It was a nice feeling, bringing her back down to her normal controlled self. Ginny normally wasn't one to loose it, yet she had – because of her own stupidity. It couldn't happen again. It _would not_ happen again.

After calming down severely, Ginny started her walk again. She knew where to hide the box now, at least for the time being. It wasn't the best hiding place, but it would have to do until she could find a secure location.

The whirlwind of stairs she descended didn't face her much, and before she knew it she was on the grounds. It was still rather early, and the autumn was making itself known in the crispness in the air. Yet the sun was shining, warming the grounds shallowly, so there were a few students lulling about.

Two of them were Jadzia and Greta - girls from her first night - they were sitting near the lake with a giddy expression on their faces. She hadn't had that much to do with them since, most of her time had been given to Josiah and Alice, and of course spending time alone brooding. _Oh Merlin, I'm turning into Harry._

She sent them a friendly wave before continuing past the lake, leaving the girls and the rest of the students behind. There were too many students about for Ginny's liking, yet she didn't dare to put this off. She didn't want anyone to see where she was going and what she was up to. It was one of the most important parts – having no one know that she _knew_.

Her paranoid mind forced her to repeatedly look up towards the castle as she made her way towards the Willow. She knew she could hardly be seen from the school, but that didn't stop the prickling feeling of being watched. It couldn't be anyone by the lake; she was positively hidden from their view so it had to come from the castle, or the forest – although why anyone would hide out there was beyond her.

Casting one last suspicious glance around her, she hurried towards the violent tree, levitating a branch to press the knot on the trunk of it. Instantly the vicious tree calmed down, making it possible for her to enter through the opening.

Slightly crouched she hurried down the passage, getting soiled in the process, though she couldn't find it in her to care that much at the moment. Then, after she had been walking in the same awkward position for quite awhile, the passage finally ended, and she stepped into a room.

This was all very new to her, never had she actually entered the Shack, but she had heard her brother mention it - and most of all Sirius and Remus – so she wasn't completely ignorant to how it was supposed to look. Still, the room's beaten appearance took her by surprise. This was where Remus was spending every full moon – and here he didn't have the potion to ease the transformation.

With a heavy sigh she moved away from the trashed room, this room was not the right place, and onto the hallway. With careful steps she walked up the decrepit staircase. The further away from the first room she got, the less became the occurrence of the claw marks on the wall and furnishers, and the less beaten the rooms looked. The upper hall was much nicer looking; yet here and there she could see there had been ruckus. Choosing the door that looked the least trashed, she slinked inside.

It was a very small room, with a single bed backed up against the left wall. It looked almost untouched, except for the disarray of bed sheets. The wolf had rarely been in here.

Her grip on the box tightened as her eyes scanned the room for a good hiding spot. Bending down, she poked her head underneath the bed – the dust making her nose itch. Honestly, didn't anyone ever clean this place?

Against the wall she saw one of the planks overtop the rest, looking slightly loose.

"Perfect," she murmured with a wide smile.

* * *

><p>The way back to the Common Room went by quickly, opposite from her beating heart and her paranoid mind form her way down, she was now calm and collected. Her only worry was how she was supposed to explain to everyone why she had reacted the way she had. Maybe no one would ask?<p>

Giving the Fat Lady the password she braced herself before climbing into the room – only to find it completely vacated except for two second years. How very anti-climatic.

With a huff Ginny threw herself down on the far away couch, one of the only ones in the Common Room – otherwise the room seemed to be overflowing with armchairs. It was by far her favourite in the entire Common Room; well maybe one of the armchairs near the fire was pretty neat as well.

She relaxed slightly into the soft cushions. Now the box was safe. No one would think to look for anything valuable in the Shrieking Shack, and she had made sure that Remus' wolf wouldn't be able to destroy it. It was well hidden and protected. That meant that one worrisome factor was out of the way. Now there were only those other millions that remained.

A sudden sound made her stiffen, and her eyes narrowed suspiciously as an inkpot rolled out from underneath the couch. Looking around warily she found nothing, only a solid wall behind her. But there was a small space between the couch and the wall, she noted. Looking down, she couldn't help but to laugh loudly.

Cramped in the small was Josiah, with a large tomb and some empty sheets lying around him, looking sheepish. Ginny couldn't help it and she burst out laughing – whatever she had expected to find, this certainly wasn't it.

"What are you doing down there," she asked, mirth dancing in her eyes and her chin resting on the back of the couch.

"Err, hiding?"

"From what? Or should I ask from who?" She narrowed her eyes jokingly, making the smaller boy huff and roll his eyes.

"No one really, it's just… I don't know, nice down here?" Josiah said, his nose crinkling somewhat as he tried to find the right words to phrase his meaning.

"Well, mind if I join you? The Common Room is going to be crowded soon, and I actually have some people I want to avoid," she dramatically lowered her voice, though ruined the effect when she ended up grinning broadly.

Josiah nodded vigorously, and moved to the right, making room for Ginny to squeeze in. it took awhile for her to find a comfortable position behind the couch, but when she had she motioned for Josiah to come closer.

"Come on, let's take a nap. I'm knackered!"

Giving her a tentative smile, the small boy scooted up to her, resting his head on her stomach. "Me too," he murmured.

It was nice having Josiah near, he was like a little brother. Someone _she_ could care for, someone she could be the older to and not the youngest as she had been her entire life. She unconsciously tightened her arms around him, closing her eyes to let slumber take over.

* * *

><p>"-s'not going to work, you know." A loud voice broke through Ginny's peaceful - and incredibly satisfying if she was allowed to say so herself - sleep.<p>

"Just trust me on this, it's going to be brilliant!"

"Wormtail, you said that about the tarts as well. Do I need to remind you how that ended?"

Crinkling her nose, she opened one of her eyes in an attempt to regain her sense of surrounding, since the voices refused to go away. A crimson red caught her eye, though not the same fabric as her hangings around her bed. Moving her head to the other side, her chin hit something hard and it took all her willpower not to groan aloud.

"We agreed to never mention the tarts-incident ever again, Padfoot," a new voice added in, sounding slightly horrified.

"Fine Prongs, but you have to understand why I'm wary about this."

In front of her was a wall, why would there be a wall next to her bed? It didn't make sense to her drowsed mind. Moving her head back to where it had started, she saw the crimson fabric again. _Oh, that's why – this is not my bed – and why don't they just shut up?_

"You have to admit that it sounds solid, and even if it ends in disaster, then at least we won't get caught," yet another voice chimed in, this one sounding calm.

Feeling a movement beside her, she looked down and her sight became slightly blurred by russet coloured hair. _Josiah_. It all rushed back to her, as did her recognition of the voices. _James, Sirius, Remus and Peter._ The male end of the group she really wanted to avoid at the time being. Life really didn't like her much, it seemed.

"Fine, just wish we had the map is all."

"Don't we all? But someone managed to get it confiscated by Filch last year," there was an edge in the voice which was followed by a soft murmur of "sorry."

_Map?_ Both her eyes flew open and she stared wide-eyed up at the ceiling as it dawned on her. _The Marauders Map._ Her real name would be listed in the map. The one name no one could know. _Oh shite, craps bullocks fuckery shite._ This was not good. But they didn't have it? _Filch_. Filch had it. Wasn't it from the caretaker her brothers had stolen the maps from?

Yes, it was. It had been listed as dangerous… no, _highly_ dangerous.

"What do you think he's done to it?" She heard James - for she was certain that this voice belonged to James now – ask the other tree.

"Dunno, probably burned it," she heard Sirius answer. She couldn't see him, but she was sure that the statement was followed with his hand running through his hair.

She needed to get that map, to hide it away. The overzealous caretaker had to be somewhere else of course, busy with something – or someone – else. She had to create a distraction, a big one. Tomorrow she could do it.

"Come one then, let's get this done with before supper. There's no way I'm missing it again! Do you have the Filibusters?"

Or now, now would be as good as time as any. _Let someone else take care of the distractions,_ she smirked, waiting patiently for the foursome to get going.

**A/N: **_At least it wasn't two months between updates this time. I think I deserve a clap on the shoulder for that._

_Also, want to know a funny thing? I started writing this chapter with one scene in mind, and that scene didn't even make it into the chapter. Got a bit carried away. Don't worry though; it'll be in the next one at the beginning._

_Hope you all enjoy this chapter, and review if you like it – or don't like it. The reviews are what keep me going, and keeping my muse up!_

_Also, thank you all for reading and reviewing, those of you who did that, you are the best!_

_Before I forget, I made a cover for this story a few weeks ago. You can see the link for the bigger version on my bio._


	8. One of Us

**Chapter 7: One of Us**

Walking down a secret stairway, Ginny couldn't help the smug smile that crept upon her face, had she not wanted to be sneaky she would've probably hummed a melody as well. She had decided to take a detour past the garbage chutes before heading for Filch's office to make sure where in the prank the Marauders where. No need to break into the office too early and get caught.

Much to her surprise, and amusement, she didn't meet them until she got to the last one, the one on the bottom floor where the Marauders stood arguing, or well, James argued.

"You could've at least figured out how to open them up before you took us all out here! We're going to miss dinner!" She could hear the ravenet boy pronounce dramatically, and slightly whiny. "And I need to be back at the tower by nine!"

"'Cause Prongsie-boy got himself a date," Sirius snickered.

"Yes, I have! I finally got Lily to go out with me, I can't be late for this!" His tone started to enter the ones one use in hysterics, making Sirius let out a bark of laughter.

"Come on, let's try to open this one up so we can go and have dinner," Remus injected, and the foursome got somewhat quiet.

Deciding that she probably should go and help them – or they would never get the prank started – she exited the hidden passageway she had been, well not _hiding_ per se, more like skulking in.

"Ginny!" Peter immediately called, his eyes shining with relief.

Schooling her features into a surprised expression she walked over to him, and the other Marauders.

"Hello Peter," she smiled kindly. "And you three as well," she added with a nod before she fixed her gaze at the garbage chute curiously. "What are you doing?"

"We can't get it to open up," Peter said gloomily, completely ignoring the other boy's alarming faces, and Sirius wild arm gesturing which Remus had the misfortune with getting caught up in. A muffled _Ouff_ could be heard from the russet haired boy.

"Really?" Ginny asked with raised eyebrows, ignoring them as well. "All you have to do is to push it up while yanking it open."

With one smooth motion she had the chute standing ajar, smirking at the gobsmocked looking boys.

"How did you-" Remus started but got interrupted by Ginny.

"Ah ah, a McGonagall never reveals her secrets," she said with a smile.

"Because you're a dragon?" James asked, smirking slightly. Ginny's eyes set on him, blinking stupidly for a moment before she recalled the conversation form their first meeting.

"Err, yeah something like that."

"But you've only been here for about a week. How could you possibly know about all those secret passages and all these-these THINGS?" Sirius asked suspiciously, his intense gaze was fixed upon her, making that unnerving feeling she had started to feel around him apparent.

"My aunt is the deputy Headmistress, do you honestly think that this is the first time I've ever been to Hogwarts?" She lied smoothly, meeting Sirius now amused gaze. Despite the uneasy feelings on her inside she sent them a smug smile. "Well it was lovely talking to you boys, but people to see, places to be. Oh, and dinner starts in about forty minutes so don't take too long, no one appreciates when their supper get disrupted."

She left them acting as if she had no care in the world, humming lightly on _Weasley is Our King_ – much like Luna had used to do.

* * *

><p>Ginny had waited in an alcove close to Filch's office for the past fifteen minutes, and this time she <em>was<em> hiding – or more like waiting. After all Ginevra Molly Wea-err McGonagall did _not_ hide. She merely avoided getting caught doing things she shouldn't do.

_Boom._

Instantly the air was filled with loud rackets, she could hear fireworks going off on every floor. _Finally, _she thought. It had taken them long enough.

She pressed herself against the wall when she heard the door to Filch's office slam open. The sound of heavy footsteps and low muttering joined the ruckus as the overzealous caretaker hurried off, fading away.

Ginny took a few deep breaths before she exited from her hiding spot. It only took her a few strides to reach the office door and she entered quietly. After spelling the door against eavesdroppers she darted across the room. She went directly to the filing cabinets, searching until she found the label for highly dangerous items.

With a smug smile gracing her face Ginny retrieved the map and shoved it down her pocket before she walked out of the office at a calm pace. Once again she started humming lightly on Luna's favourite tune, clasping her hands behind her back.

* * *

><p>Feeling utterly satisfied with her day's work, Ginny entered one of the girls' bathrooms. There was still time before dinner, and she didn't much fancy to go back to her dorm just yet. Not that she disliked any of her mates in Gryffindor, but all she had been since her arrival was social. Well not <em>all<em>, but she wasn't used to spend this much time with so many people, who all seemed to want to know everything there was to know about her. And she had never had to lie as much before, it was outright exhausting.

Therefore the bathroom was a great place to make time go by in. Maybe she could try out a new curling charm, or see how long it takes for her fingers to became like raisins in water, or watch her nails grow? The possibilities were endless, truly.

None of that happened though, for when she walk in she was met with the muffled sound of sobs…or hiccups, very odd hiccups if that would be the case.

"Erm, hello?" She said carefully, only to have the sounds immediately stop.

She waited a few moments, but when nothing came about she tried again. "Are you ok?"

There were another few moments of silence before a familiar voice greeted her. "Yeah, err," the girl hiding in the stall cleared her throat when her first attempt at speaking came out in a choked, barely audible whisper. Her voice was still choked, but it carried itself stronger on her second attempt. "Yes, I'm fine. Just got caught in the crossfire between Gryffindors and Slytherin. You know how they can be." A forced laughter followed up.

Standing up a bit straighter, Ginny eyed the stall curiously. "Elinor, is that you?"

"Ginny?" The girl asked, the weakly tone was back in place. A rustling was heard, and soon after Elinor emerged from the stall. Her eyes were swollen and red, but apart from that her appearance was flawless. Much nicer than Ginny would've looked if she had been crying her eyes out in a bathroom, that's for sure.

"Are you ok?" Ginny asked again, reaching out one of her hands to touch the other girl tentatively.

Elinor gave her a feeble smile, "Yeah, like I told you. The Gryff and the Slytherin, you know."

"If you want me to believe that, then I will pretend that's the case, but I think we both know that's not really true. I know we don't really know each other that well, but if you let me I would like to be your friend," Ginny said with a reassuring smile before she turned towards the sink and the mirror to start arrange her hair – giving the girl the privacy she needed.

Elinor stood and watched her for quite awhile, and Ginny was beginning to believe that the girl would stand there mute 'til dinner.

"You're right," Elinor mumbled, making Ginny look at her through the mirror in surprise. She didn't dare to turn around and face the girl in case Elinor clamped up again. So Ginny stayed where she was, while Elinor continued with a faint voice.

"It was my father," the blonde girl murmured, meeting Ginny's eyes. "It's just-I can't really…I can't tell you. I can't tell anyone, not even Edgar. Because you're supposed to be loyal, right? Towards your family? They're supposed to come first. It doesn't matter what you want, or feel, because family's what's important."

Still looking through the mirror, Ginny smiled reassuringly. "I suppose. But you have to do what feels right for you. If you don't agree with your family, you don't have to stay with them. Family is what you make it; it doesn't have to be by blood you know.

"Just because you walk away from your family doesn't mean you don't love them," Ginny continued after a brief pause. "Sometimes it means you love them too much, but you can't help someone who doesn't want the help you're offering.

"Come on," She said, taking Elinor's hand in hers. "Let's go get some dinner."

Her tranquil smile was met by a hesitant one form Elinor, who tightened the grasp she had on Ginny's hand.

* * *

><p>Parting from Elinor, who hadn't let go of her hand the entire walk to the Great Hall, Ginny walk over to her own table, which was by this time only half-filled. Not caring to look it over, she sat down by herself, deep in thought.<p>

She had no idea what was really going on with Elinor, though she had no doubt she would find out soon enough. No, her thought process had wandered over to Professor McGonagall, her 'aunt' with Elinor's mention of family. Not for the first time since Ginny arrived, she wondered what that memory McGonagall had sent with her contained. What could possibly make someone like the older woman trust a stranger so ultimately, and make her take said stranger in.

It didn't really make sense for Ginny and the picture she had had of the Professor prior. Yet, here she was, safely placed under the Old Cat's wings.

Turning her attention towards the food that appeared in front of her, she gave into the utter rapture that was the Hogwarts food. Completely unaware of the students who started to fill up the places next to her, she closed her eyes and smiled absent-mindedly. Despite the odd beginning of the day, she had to admit that this had been a very successful day for her, if a bipolar one.

"Hi," a squeaky voice said right next to her, making her jump high in her seat. Turning swiftly around she was met with the pale eyes of Peter. Blinking stupidly a few times, she seemed to do that a lot here, she then looked around, noticing that the Marauders now surrounded her.

"Hi," she said hoarsely, surprised by her faint tone Ginny cleared her throat before once again greet the young boy, this time with a much stronger voice.

"I take it that it worked?" She asked.

"Indeed, now tell me. How is it that you managed to stumble over the perfect solution for a prank?" James cut in, sporting a curious expression. It got easier and easier for Ginny to be around him, not that she had had that much of a problem before. But the resemblance between him and Harry got less and less apparent each time, and there was something in his eyes. Shaking her head lightly, she smiled impishly.

"I told you, a McGonagall never-"

"Oh, cut the crap," Sirius interrupted her.

Ginny sent him an annoyed glare, which got slightly halted when she caught the unreadable expression on his features.

"Fine," she huffed in exasperation. "My old teachers used to say that I was inquisitive and persistent to a fault. Their words, not mine."

"So you just 'happened' to stumble across the chutes in time for this prank?" Disbelief was evident in his voice as Sirius inquired her.

She stared at him, incredulous, before re-schooling her features into a blank slate. _What the hell was his problem?_ When Remus opened his mouth to tell Sirius off, Ginny held up a hand to silence him.

"No, I just 'happened' to stumble across the chutes and then I told Peter about it since the pranks you guys pull, if you go by all the detentions Peter already has been serving, obviously stink."

"They don't stink, they-" Sirius started, his gaze turned murderous. It was quite fascinating to watch how quickly emotions flickered past in his eyes.

"Could've fooled me," Ginny retorted, before he even had the time to finish. "If you just sat down here to bother me, I should leave. Believe it or not, there's actually people in this castle that likes my company."

"You mean like Elinor Callahan? Yeah, she's a real keeper. Don't think we didn't see you with her," Sirius muttered, obviously still wound up about her dismissing of their pranks.

_Callahan? _Ginny could feel her blood turn into ice. She knew she had recognized Elinor's name from somewhere. Though she had never thought it would be from the Order's confidential files, files she had manage to get a hold of after lots of sneaking and help from a certain animagus. Suddenly it all made sense, her crying, her conflicted feelings about her family loyalty.

_Elinor Callahan, of the pureblooded line and youngest daughter of known Death Eater Cuthbert Callahan, death on the 17th of November 1978. Killed by Death Eaters in Knockturn Alley, treacherous towards Voldemort's cause._

It was too soon, much too soon. Feeling four prying eyes upon her, she felt her blank exterior starting to break. With a last glare on Sirius, she started to gather her things.

"One would think that someone with your background would be more tolerant and less judgemental towards others. It's funny how wrong you can be about people, isn't it?"

"What are you-"

"Don't fool yourself into thinking I don't know who the Blacks are." Her harsh tone was met with an angry frown.

As she stood up, her gaze fell over the other three and it softened immensely when she locked eyes with Peter.

"We're still on for chess later?" She asked with a quiet voice.

Peter nodded, and she smiled tentatively at him before she stalked out of the Hall.

* * *

><p>"Oh, you're back?" Alice said, as Ginny walked back into the dorm, beaming from her place on the bed.<p>

"Yeah, and I see that the war is still raging on," Ginny retorted, eyeing the mess on the floor. However, except for Alice, there was no one in the room. "Where's the rest?"

"Lily and Oona is in the bathroom, getting Lily ready for tonight, and Althea went to the library. Apparently she ran out of reading material," Alice explained dryly, the beaming smile had yet to leave her face.

"So what got you in such a happy mood?" Ginny couldn't help but smile a cheeky smile back. "If it's a potion, could you get some for me as well?"

"Oh, hush. I'm just a very happy person," Alice replied, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Of course." Ginny couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her.

"It's my boyfriend," Alice said, after a few moments. Ginny, who had by now lain down on her bed, popped her head up and looked up on Alice with a sleepy smile. "He's going to meet me in Hogsmeade two weekends from now. I just got his letter." Her lips had lit up in a blissful smile, making her eyes sparkle, while she talked.

"That's great," Ginny answered. Her eyes fallen closed again, contentment filled her.

"It's ok you know," Alice said suddenly out of context, or at least out of context for Ginny.

Opening one eye, which she squinted quizzed towards Alice, Ginny furrowed her brows in question.

"We've talked about it after you left, and we know you're keeping secrets. Probably huge ones, but it's ok. You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, and we won't ask."

Sitting up properly in her bed, Ginny set her gaze upon the pixie-like girl, her eyes wide. "I-ehm, thank you?"

"We all have secrets, Merlin only knows what Althea is up to and I know for sure that Lily isn't telling the complete truth about her family. So none of us here will press you to tell. But you should be more careful around others; they might not be as tolerant about this. There is a war going on after all."

"Thank you," Ginny repeated, more sincerely now. She hadn't thought she'd been that obvious, but the girls had evidently picked up on a few things after all. Meeting the other girl's eyes, she saw something she hadn't thought she would see that often in this time – acceptance. She felt a soft pang in her chest, though it wasn't painful – more like a warm blanket. _Oh Neville, your mother would've been so proud of who you became. I know this now._

* * *

><p>She crawled up in her bed, after the sounds of Lily and the other girls had faded, shutting the hangings around her bed close. Well protected, she retrieved her prize from her pocket, stroking the familiar map tenderly.<p>

Though the map had never been in her possession, she had seen it with her brothers and with Harry countless of times. The twins had even taken her aside one of the first weekends in her first year to show her some of its secrets. Even when you looked past that, it held pieces of Sirius and Remus, the Sirius and Remus she had known, which only made the objects value rise that much higher in her eyes.

Quietly she whispered 'I solemnly swear…that I am up to no good', watching the map come to life. Ink bleeding across it forming halls, rooms, occupied with footsteps that had scrolls listing the names in a curling style and the Marauders alter egos greet her. Opening it up she found Elinor holed up alone in her dorm, James and Lily by the Astronomy Tower and Sirius out with some girl named Maisie Bottomley.

Her eyes then sought out the Gryffindor tower, finding Remus and Peter sitting in the common room, probably doing their homework. When her eyes dropped to the girls' dormitories, everything stopped.

She blinked. Once, then twice.

It took sometime for her brain to catch up, when it did her eyes widened and she could feel her pulse speed up. It couldn't be true, yet she knew. The map never lied after all, Sirius said so, as did Remus and Harry, even she used to say so.

Not only did it _not_ say Ginevra Weasley, as she had feared. It didn't say anything; she didn't have any footprints at all.

_She didn't exist._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **_I think I should bring up something here quickly. I know, well form the ones that review, that you seem to like the character of Josiah etc. and I really enjoy writing him as well. But I have to ask you not to ask me to bring him in too often. I will write him in, along with other characters you seem to enjoy, when he's relevant to the plot. Bringing him in too often will only slow everything down, and I feel like I am slow enough already. This is not to say he won't be in the story anymore, because he will._

_Also, I would like to thank _**paulaa90** _and _**Slytherinjunkie20** _especially, since you guys have reviewed most every chapter since you started reading. It really means a lot that you are taking the time to do so, and I just wanted to give you guys a shout out for being awesome. I would like to give you all the chocolate frogs in the world, though I can't. Since I never got my letter, and I am not that rich._


	9. Come Together

**Chapter 8: Come Together**

She had spent a few weeks in the past now and she now knew some things for certain she hadn't known before.

First, Professor McGonagall was an oddly soft woman, behind all the sternness and pride. Perhaps it was just that she was now considered family, but Ginny found a certain pleasure in her teatime with the older woman.

Second, apparently Marlene and Frank were going to be her inductors to the Order. So when the time came for her to go out on missions, they were the ones to follow her. Despite how condescending that sounded to her ears, Ginny was quite satisfied with the arrangement. Frank had a very calming influence, on her and on other people. While Marlene, well she had a lot of very sketchy contacts.

Third, she was now a friend to Peter. Peter Pettigrew, Wormtail, the boy who betrayed the very people she loved and she didn't actually mind all that much. Did that make her a bad person?

Fourth, James knew something, as did his mother. Though she wasn't sure how to find out what without asking them directly – which she wasn't ready to do.

Fifth, Sirius was a complete cad.

* * *

><p><em>Meet me in the Hog's Head this weekend, on your Hogsmead trip of course. I have no doubt you can sneak out of the castle without getting caught, but why risk it when you have a perfectly valid excuse to be out and about.<em>

_There are some people I want you to meet._

_Marlene_

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you don't want to join us today?" Peter asked at breakfast, in the middle of stuffing his face full with food.<p>

Ginny had lost count on how many times the boy had asked her, knowing full well that all of her friends were occupied. Alice was meeting Frank, Lily was going with James and Oona was off with a Ravenclaw boy, no one had a clue where Althea where at, Elizabeth were going with Nathan and Elinor was serving a detention. Peter had offered her to join Remus and him for the Three Broomsticks for lunch, constantly the last couple of days. It was starting to become quite frustrating.

The fact that she was still a bit shaken up from the Map Incident, as she had started to call it, didn't help these matters.

"Can't, meeting someone there," she smiled.

"Can't you and your friend join us?" An eager smile appeared, making Ginny smile ruefully.

"We'll see, if we get time."

"Leave her alone Pete, she'll meet up with us if she get the time," Remus butted in, shrugging apologetically while sharing an amused look with Ginny.

"I promise, Peter, that if we get the time we'll stop by. But I'm not sure what we'll be doing exactly. I'm not the one in charge."

Peter's small smile was answer enough, and Ginny returned to chew on her breakfast. She had no idea who the people Marlene wanted to introduce her to were, and that made her nervous. Or maybe not nervous, more unsettled she supposed. Things were out of her control, and Ginny wasn't used to it, nor did she like it very much. Despite popular belief growing up with Fred and George didn't automatically make your life chaotic.

Especially if you wanted to be able to make a prank, or as it was more in Ginny's case, sneak away and avoid, you needed a certain level of control of things around you. Letting Marlene decide where to go, and who to meet with for a day took away the control Ginny was so fond of, especially now when she had it back in a much larger scale than she had had the last couple of months back in her time.

Her reverie was abruptly broken by two, very loud, chorused "HOGSMEADE!"

The two ravenet boys who'd done the screaming made their way down the lines of the tables continued with their half-screams, half-songs about "HOGGY HOGGY HOGSMEADE!"

Realising a bit too late that she was sitting right next to the other half of the Marauders and where therefore going to get right caught up in their theatrics Ginny sighed in defeat.

"Sweetest dragon, who graces us with her presence on this finest of days."

An arm flung around her and she was met with the grinning face of James. Sirius sat down with much more grace and dignity, though how he managed that while singing off-key was beyond her.

"Do you have any idea of what day this is, my dearest feline?"

"Feline?"

"Yes, you're a cat too, right? Like Minnie up there?" James nodded in the direction of the staff table.

"Err, no?" Ginny felt a tad bit confused, if she was honest.

"Oh, pity," James actually sounded disappointed in the fact, but he quickly sent her another grin. "So, the day?"

"It's Hogsmeade day?" She tried.

"Yes, that's true. But it is also THE BRIGHTEST! THE MOST AMAZING! THE DAY OF DAYS!" He shouted out.

"No, no, James. IT'S THE DAY OF KINGS! NO! THE KINGS OF DAYS OF KINGS!"

Sharing an exasperated look with Remus, Ginny decided that the best course of action was to simply put her head in her hands and wait for it to run out.

"Are you coming with today as well, McGonagall?" Sirius asked once the two boys had stopped grinning manically at each other, the unreadable expression on his face made Ginny question if he was for or against the idea. Why was he so hard to read?

"Eh, no. Meeting someone there." She gave them a tight smile.

"What? Is the littlest Dragon deserting us? Why?"

Giving James, the drama queen, a pointed look Ginny gathered her things. "Don't you start as well! I may or may not see you in Hogsmeade, have a nice day."

"What did I do now?" She heard James ask as she left.

* * *

><p>This time when Ginny entered the Hog's Head there were a few more customers drifting about. Her eyes quickly scanned the room, and when she couldn't find Marlene or anyone else she knew, she strode up to the bar, sitting down on one of the toil-worn barstools.<p>

"Could I have a butterbeer, please?"

The bartender eyed her warily and stopped with his wiping of the counter.

"You're the girl who never used her room," he said, just when Ginny was starting to doubt that he would ever react to her.

"I-err, Sorry?" Ginny replied, she accepted the butterbeer while trying to ignore the dirty glass.

"You're meeting up with McKinnon, aren't you?"

Her eyes shot up to him, surprise written all over her features, but he had moved his attention back to the counter.

"Yes, I am," she couldn't hold back the guarded tone in her voice, making the bartender look back at her.

"You don't trust me."

It wasn't a question, yet Ginny wasn't sure how much truth was in the statement either. _Doubt_, it had been her constant companion since she had arrived here. Doubt whether or not she could trust people, doubt whether or not she was strong enough, doubt whether or not _she was capable._

"Doesn't matter, friends of Marlene can always find sanctuary here. My name is Aberforth."

"I know," Ginny couldn't hold back the words, making her ears obtain a scarlet tint.

"Of course you do, wouldn't be a friend of Marlene if you didn't," he muttered, though the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

She brought up the glass to her lips, sipping on her butterbeer in order to hide her lips curving.

She was watching Aberforth fiddle behind the bar when someone flung their arm around her the second time that day. Turing around swiftly, with a startle look on her feature, she saw Marlene's sparkling peal eyes.

"Here already? Thought I would be early."

"You're about as early as Mad-Eye is relaxed," Ginny replied with a wry smile.

"Or maybe I'm right in time and you're just one of those horrific early birds that haunts our planet."

"Did you just call me a bird?"

"Not the point, I also called you horrific, spawn of Satan-"

"You did not call me spawn of Satan!"

"I did just now!"

"So by your logic, Professor McGonagall is Satan's sister?"

"Wouldn't surprise me in the least."

Staring at the other girl, Ginny started laughing, somewhat hysterically. Every now and then she tried to regain her composure but then she met Marlene's eyes and she was lost again. Marlene's eyes twinkled in a Dumbledore-esque way, her lips curling as she watched her.

"Pull yourself together," Marlene finally said after waiting in vain for Ginny to calm down, but her smile softened the sharp words and tone. "We have things to do and I can't have you babbling all over the place."

When Ginny only laughed harder Marlene gave up a heavy sigh.

"Seems like I'm stuck with a bumbling little twit."

"Oi!" Ginny stopped laughing to glare at the blonde. She sat up straighter and pulled at her George-sweater. "I am not a twit!"

"Aw, Ginbug, you're really unattractive when you're pulling that face," Marlene said, ending with a laugh. Then she cooed, "You know I love you."

Swatting away her hands, Ginny smiled a wry smile.

"Wasn't you supposed to introduce me to some people?"

"Oh, right. It's not as much people I want you to meet as getting you settled things and places."

Furrowing her brows, Ginny watched Marlene – who seemed unsure of how to phrase herself exactly.

"And…and you know, make sure you know who's on our side, officially and unofficially."

Then she smiled impishly, "come on!"

Marlene's hand grasped around hers and she was dragged across the pub, with a brief nod towards Aberforth, Marlene then continued towards the staircase, but instead of going up it, she hurried inside a small room behind the bar.

"I didn't know this was here," Ginny said in wonder.

"No one does, except those who the old Goat has told about it," Marlene grinned.

It was true, Ginny supposed, seeing how the door had been hidden, melting into the wall leaving no trace what-so-ever that it existed. It was small too, making it inconspicuous from the outside.

"So, what are we doing in here?"

"I'm about to show you where the good things are," was the answer she got as Marlene swept her hands over the dirty floor. A triumphant look flashed over her face before she yanked up a hidden flap door.

"After you, princess."

* * *

><p>"D'you think she'll join us later? I know she said she was meeting someone, but what if she only said that because she thought she would be in the way?" Peter asked while making it down to Hogsmeade along with Remus and Sirius.<p>

"Who cares Wormtail, she said she didn't want to come, just leave it at that," Sirius growled out.

"She never said she didn't _want_ to, just that she was meeting someone," Peter grumbled back. "But what if her friend ditches her? She's new here after all and she doesn't know that many people."

"I'm sure she's fine, Wormtail," Remus replied, punching Sirius in the arm at the same time to hinder him from saying anything else.

Sirius sent him a glare in return, "could we please get to Zonko's _today_?"

* * *

><p>"What is this place?"<p>

"A haven," Marlene replied with a gin. "Or whatever you want it to be."

"Like the Room of Requirement?"

"The whatnow?"

"Err, nothing," Ginny mumbled, while letting her gaze sweep across the room.

The room itself was nothing special, a cellar like any other. No, it was the objects that truly fascinated her, and puzzled her as well. There was a large desk, covered with scrolls, stack of papers and quills. In the furthest away corner, books on books was stapled – a mess that would've surely made Hermione cry.

There were also shelves covering the entire opposite wall, filled with odd trinkets and devices. Everything was a mess, and she was pretty sure she even spotted a skull in the mess. The only thing that was cleared from it was a small door that looked completely out of place.

"That case over there," Marlene pointed at a case, partly hidden under a few books, "is filled with potions and medical whatsits, I'm not even sure exactly. You can use it if you ever run into trouble in the village and don't have any opportunity to get back up to the castle."

Ginny looked at the other girl with a bemused expression, "So you took me down here to show me a medical kit?"

"Err, no. See those blue books over there," she pointed at the pile of books, and right she was since there were a couple of small blue books in the mess. "Well, you know how The Headmaster always seems to know all of these things going on? Well he gets a lot of the information from Aberforth, comes in handy to own a pub as _interesting_ as this one. Anyway, he keeps the information he comes across in them books there. You can pretty much find the dirt on anyone in those.

"Anyway, whenever we'll meet up, we being you, Frank and I, we'll meet here. So, have a look around, then we can go shopping or something." Marlene ran her hand nonchalantly through her hair, in the same manner as Ginny had noticed Sirius do.

"So, this is it then? This is what you wanted to show me? Your letter made it seems so much more important, you know with loads of people and whatnot."

"Oh, hush. You know Abe by now, and this place is a secret haven, what more do you want? If you want to know which people you shouldn't trust, then those books could tell you a thing or two. Not that I don't think you're smart enough to figure that out on your own," Marlene added when she saw Ginny's raised eyebrows.

"Fine," Ginny replied, her voice shaking slightly with repressed laughter. "I need to go to Honeydukes anyway, it's Josiah's birthday in just a couple of days."

"Who's Josiah?" Marlene immediately piqued, her eyebrows waggling. "You're boyfriend?"

"No, he's my friend, and he's a first year," Ginny replied with a frown.

"Might as well start 'em young," was the only reply she got.

"You're impossible."

* * *

><p>"Isn't that McKinnon?" Remus inquired when the three boys exited the overcrowded Zonko's.<p>

"Huh?"

"Over there, with McGonagall," the russet-haired boy pointed.

Sirius and Peter followed his finger to where he was pointing, and there at the end of the line they saw the blonde and the redhead mentioned.

"See, I told you she would be fine, Peter. You needn't worry," Remus said, sounded oddly proud of himself.

Peter met his eyes with a beaming smile. "I should probably ask if they want to join us for lunch later," the boy said, skitting boyishly towards the two girls, Remus chuckles followed him.

"Didn't think McKinnon would fall so low that she has to settle with the likes of Red," Sirius muttered darkly.

"You know what, Pads, this is getting extremely tiring. What is your problem with Ginny?" Remus rounded on him, his voice sounding exasperated.

"Nothing, I don't have a bloody problem with her!"

"Could've fooled me," Remus stared intently at Sirius, who started fidgeting slightly under the intense gaze. "I don't really care if you hate her guts, just try to be civil around Peter. This is his first real friends outside of us, so it's big you know."

"But that's just it, she's trying to take him from us!" Sirius exclaimed, letting out a sigh of relief that made Remus look at him oddly.

"Peter only spends the time you and James are off somewhere with Ginny, so it's not like she drags him away from you kicking and screaming. Honestly, Pads, this is good for him. Let him have this, alright?"

"Fine," the ravenet grumbled, his eyes flashing over towards the place the two girls stood with Peter. "I'll let him have her."

"Erm, Sirius?" Remus asked, after a moment or two.

"What?"

"Don't you have a date with Bottomley, or someone?"

"Fuck."

* * *

><p>"Sorry, kiddo, Ginbug-" Marlene received a punch in the arm for that, "- and I has promised to meet up Frank and Alice for lunch."<p>

Ginny's interest piqued, _really?_

"Oh," Peter's disappointment was evident. "I suppose I could show you what I've bought later in the Common Room. We went to Zonko's."

Trying to converse through eye contact only, Ginny pleaded with the other girl. She really hated it when Peter made her feel like she was kicking a small, fluffy, little puppy.

"I, err, I suppose you could join us. Or are you dragging with the whole pack?" Marlene asked warily.

"Nope, only me I'm afraid," Remus appeared next to her; the corners of his mouth twitching slightly in an attempt to hide the amused grin that threatened to take over. "Sirius remembered that he had a date and had to run, literally."

"Well, good luck for the happy couple," Marlene smirked, and Remus last resolve not to smile broke, he even chuckled a little. "I'm sure Frank and Alice won't mind you two tagging along, or what do you think, Ginny-poo?"

Ginny's answer was to elbow the annoying blonde in the stomach.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _I can only apologise for the long wait! Why I thought it was a good idea to take a chemistry class and an intense class of advanced English is beyond me but at the end of the day, they swallowed me whole. This only got finished because I was procrastinated from them; I have an essay for Thursday to write, to novels to read until next weak and a test to prepare myself for on Thursday as well. See, I do things when I should and need to do them, honestly!_

Also, as much as I love Christmas, I dread it this year. I'm used to spend it with my grand-parents and be pre-elderly with them, but this year I have to spend it with over twenty people, along with and infant and two annoying boys who hates my guts. So chances are that I'll have another chapter up soon, you know because of my creys and things.

_And I know that some of the things happening in this fic might seem a bit unconnected, but they will all tie nicely together in a few chapters or so. I build and build and the snowball will start rolling soon._


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